On Brane Instabilities in the Large $D$ Limit

Abstract

Using an expansion in large number of dimensions, taken to subleading orders, we discuss several issues concerning the Gregory-Laflamme instabilities. We map out the phase diagram of neutral and charged black strings, and comment on the possible transition in the nature of the final state of the instability at higher order in the 1/D expansion. We also discuss unstable black membranes, and show that in certain limits the preferred shape of the non-uniform phase is a triangular lattice.