Semi-classical stability of AdS NUT instantons

Abstract

The semi-classical stability of several AdS NUT instantons is studied. Throughout, the notion of stability is that of stability at the one-loop level of Euclidean Quantum Gravity. Instabilities manifest themselves as negative eigenmodes of a modified Lichnerowicz Laplacian acting on the transverse traceless perturbations. An instability is found for one branch of the AdS-Taub-Bolt family of metrics and it is argued that the other branch is stable. It is also argued that the AdS-Taub-NUT family of metrics are stable. A component of the continuous spectrum of the modified Lichnerowicz operator on all three families of metrics is found.