BPS Black Holes in Superegravity

Abstract

In these lectures we explain the concept of supergravity p-branes and BPS black holes. Introducing an audience of general relativists to all the necessary geometry related with extended supergravity (special geometry, symplectic embeddings and the like) we describe the general properties of N=2 black holes, the structure of central charges in extended supergravity and the description of black hole entropy as an invariant of the U duality group. Then, after explaining the concept and the use of solvable Lie algebras we present the detailed construction of 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 supersymmetry preserving black holes in the context of N=8 supergravity. The Lectures are meant to be introductory and self contained for non supersymmetry experts but at the same time fully detailed and complete on the subject.