Localizing Momentum Waves on Mazes

Abstract

We examine the proposal and analysis of arXiv:2404.14477 for putting momentum waves on mazes of intersecting M2 and M5 branes by computing a family of simple examples of momentum waves on pure M5 branes. We re-analyze the BPS equations for the near-brane M5-P system with the prescribed supersymmetry structure of the full M2-M5-P system and show that the general linear system obtained in arXiv:2404.14477 captures all of the null momentum waves on the simpler M5-P system. Despite the absence of explicit M2 branes in our examples, we find that the momentum waves still localize on an AdS${}_3$ factor of the AdS${}_7$ associated with M5 branes, showing that the supersymmetry prescription still reflects the M2-M5-P structure. This momentum localization takes two forms: explicit singular sources and smooth, localized bump functions reflecting ''momentum migration'' that is a feature of other microstate geometries. The simple, physical form of the momentum localization in our examples supports the broader proposal in arXiv:2404.14477 that independent momentum waves can localize at each brane intersection. We suggest further generalizations of momentum waves at brane intersections that could have important implications in holography.