Extremal horizons with reduced symmetry: Hyperscaling violation, stripes, and a classification for the homogeneous case

Abstract

Classifying the zero-temperature ground states of quantum field theories with finite charge density is a very interesting problem. Via holography, this problem is mapped to the classification of extremal charged black brane geometries with anti-de Sitter asymptotics. In a recent paper [1], we proposed a Bianchi classification of the extremal near-horizon geometries in five dimensions, in the case where they are homogeneous but, in general, anisotropic. Here, we extend our study in two directions: we show that Bianchi attractors can lead to new phases, and generalize the classification of homogeneous phases in a way suggested by holography. In the first direction, we show that hyperscaling violation can naturally be incorporated into the Bianchi horizons. We also find analytical examples of "striped" horizons. In the second direction, we propose a more complete classification of homogeneous horizon geometries where the natural mathematics involves real four-algebras with three dimensional sub-algebras. This gives rise to a richer set of possible near-horizon geometries, where the holographic radial direction is non-trivially intertwined with field theory spatial coordinates. We find examples of several of the new types in systems consisting of reasonably simple matter sectors coupled to gravity, while arguing that others are forbidden by the Null Energy Condition. Extremal horizons in four dimensions governed by three-algebras or four-algebras are also discussed. © 2013 SISSA.