Supersymmetric spindles

Abstract

In the context of holography, we analyse aspects of supersymmetric geometries based on two-dimensional orbifolds known as spindles. By analysing spin$^c$ spinors on a spindle with an azimuthal rotation symmetry we show that under rather general conditions there are just two possibilities, called the `twist' and the `anti-twist', which are determined by the quantized magnetic flux through the spindle. A special case of the twist is the standard topological twist which is associated with constant and chiral spinors. We construct solutions of $D=5$ and $D=4$ STU gauged supergravity theories that are dual to D3-branes and M2-branes wrapping spindles, respectively, which realize both the anti-twist, as seen before, but also the twist. For the wrapped D3-brane solutions we reproduce the central charge of the gravity solution from the dual field theory by analysing the anomaly polynomial of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory. We also discuss M5-branes wrapped on spindles both from a gravity and a field theory point of view.