The string origin of dyonic ${\cal N}=8$ supergravity and its simple Chern-Simons duals

Abstract: We clarify the higher-dimensional origin of a class of dyonic gaugings of $D=4$ ${\cal N}=8$ supergravity recently discovered, when the gauge group is chosen to be ISO(7). This dyonically-gauged maximal supergravity arises from consistent truncation of massive IIA supergravity on $S^6$, and its magnetic coupling constant descends directly from the Romans mass. The critical points of the supergravity uplift to new AdS$_4$ massive type IIA vacua. We identify the corresponding CFT$_3$ duals as super-Chern-Simons-matter theories with simple gauge group SU$(N)$, with level $k$ given by the Romans mass. In particular, we find a critical point that uplifts to the first explicit ${\cal N}=2$ AdS$_4$ massive IIA background. We compute its free energy and that of the candidate dual Chern-Simons theory by localisation to a solvable matrix model, and find perfect agreement. This provides the first AdS$_4$/CFT$_3$ precision match in massive type IIA string theory.

An Analysis of Dyonic N = 8 Supergravity and its Chern-Simons Duals

The paper in question offers a rigorous exploration of dyonically-gauged N = 8 supergravity in four dimensions, proposing a comprehensive understanding of its origins from higher-dimensional supergravity theories. The research particularly emphasizes the role of the gauge group ISO(7) and makes significant strides in elucidating its relationship with massive IIA supergravity and its associated consistent truncations.

The authors investigate the dyonically-gauged maximal supergravity that arises from massive type IIA supergravity compactified on a six-sphere. One of the pivotal elements in this framework is the Romans mass, which is identified with the level of Chern-Simons theories in the three-dimensional superconformal field theory (CFT) duals. A notable result of this work is the identification of a critical point that leads to the first known N = 4 supersymmetric anti-de-Sitter (AdS) background in massive IIA contexts. Remarkably, the free energy calculations derived from both the AdS side, using IIA supergravity, and the Chern-Simons-matter theories in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence show perfect agreement. This precision match substantiates the duality and demonstrates a significant advance in connecting higher-dimensional theories with their lower-dimensional counterparts.

The paper methodically analyzes the consistent truncation approach, ensuring that the solutions presented uplift to viable AdS backgrounds, capable of being formulated within the AdS/CFT paradigm. Importantly, the study clarifies possible ambiguities regarding dyonic gaugings and their reproducibility from string or M-theory, thus addressing long-standing questions in the theoretical physics community regarding the real origins of these gauged supergravities within higher dimensions.

Furthermore, the paper surveys the embeddings of these gauged theories back into ten-dimensional type IIA supergravity frameworks, solidifying their compatibility with known massive type IIA supergravity solutions. In doing so, the research demonstrates how these truncated theories maintain consistency and coherence with established higher-dimensional field equations, paving the way for future analytical exploration and cross-verification with quantum field theories.

This study not only enriches the comprehension of dyonic N = 8 supergravity models and their dual field theories but also provides a foundation for further explorations in theoretical constructs involving consistent embeddings and truncations. Potential future developments might include exploring variations of the gauge groups, different compactification manifolds, or other expansions that generalize this comprehensive approach to different dimensions and symmetries.

This paper's implications extend beyond just theoretical explorations; they enhance our understanding of the fundamental structures linking classical field theories and quantum considerations. As the domain of string theory and AdS/CFT continues to expand, this research serves as a critical cornerstone for constructing coherent theoretical models that bridge diverse dimensions of theoretical physics.