Supergravity p -branes with scalar charge

Abstract

Standard dilatonic supergravity $p$-branes have scalar charges that are not independent parameters, but are determined by the brane tension and Page charges. This feature can be traced to the no-hair theorem in the four-dimensional Einstein-scalar gravity, implying that more general solutions with independent scalar charges can have naked singularities. Since singular branes are also of interest as tentative classical counterparts of unstable tachyonic branes and/or brane-antibrane systems, it is worth investigating branes with independent scalar charges in more detail. Here we study singular branes associated with the Fisher-Janis-Newman-Winicour solution of four-dimensional gravity. In the case of codimension three, we also construct singular branes endowed with a Zipoy-Voorhees-type oblateness parameter. It is expected that such branes will not be supersymmetric in the string theory. We demonstrate this in the special case of NS5-branes of type II theory. We analyze geodesics and test scalar perturbations of new solutions focusing on possible quantum healing of classical singularities.