Smeared end-of-the-world branes

Abstract

We uncover new nonsupersymmetric boundary conditions in 10- and 11-dimensional supergravity whereby spacetime ends on a smeared distribution of D- and M-branes, respectively. For example, we find a solution of type IIB supergravity where the AdS5×S5 vacuum ends on an SO(6)-invariant distribution of D3-branes. These distributions give a stringy completion of simple models of tensionful end-of-the-world branes considered previously in the literature. However, we find that our solutions are all unstable to the fragmentation of the end-of-the-world brane into its constituents. Published by the American Physical Society 2025