Non-Relativistic M2-Branes and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

Abstract

A non-relativistic limit of the AdS/CFT correspondence is studied in the context of M2-branes. On the field theory side this corresponds to a near-BPS limit of ABJM that localises onto solutions of Hitchin's equations. It is shown that the symmetries of the theory include an infinite-dimensional enhancement of the spatial symmetry algebra corresponding to time-dependent holomorphic transformations. Taking the limit of the gravitational dual splits the geometry into three 'large' directions and eight 'small' directions and corresponds to the Membrane-Newton-Cartan limit of eleven-dimensional supergravity. This has the effect of reducing the $Ad{S}_4$ factor to an $Ad{S}_2$ factor for the near-horizon limit of the M2-brane metric. Evidence is presented that the duality is maintained after the limit.

50 pages; v2: improved discussion of subleading fields, references added, minor corrections, v3: added discussion of limit on sphere, improved explanations, typos corrected, version accepted for publication in JHEP