Thermodynamics of black M-branes from SCFTs

Abstract

We discuss thermodynamics of N M2-branes at strong coupling from the ABJM theory by employing the Smilga-Wiseman method, which explains the black Dp-brane thermodynamics from the maximally supersymmetric U(N) Yang-Mills theories through a field theory analysis. As a result we obtain the free energy of the ABJM theory ~N^{3/2}k^{1/2}T^3, which is consistent with the prediction from eleven-dimensional supergravity. We also estimate the free energy of N M5-branes by assuming some natural properties of the 6d superconformal field theory. Remarkably we obtain the free energy ~N^3T^6, which is consistent again with the supergravity prediction. This result might illuminate the low energy field theory description of the multiple M5-branes.