Speaker
Description
We consider supersymmetric $AdS_3\times Y_7$ solutions of type IIB and
$AdS_2\times Y_9$ solutions of $D=11$ supergravity. These can arise as the
near horizon limit of black strings in $AdS_5$ and and black holes in $AdS_4$ spacetimes, respectively.
We explain how novel extremisation techniques enable one to compute physical observables
without explicitly solving Einstein equations. This allows one to identify infinite new classes of AdS_3/d=2 SCFT pairs, as well obtain a microstate counting interpretation for infinite classes of supersymmetric black holes in AdS_4.
A sub-class of examples correspond to branes wrapping certain two-dimensional orbifolds known as spindles and this
has opened up a new direction in AdS/CFT with novel connections to accelerating black holes.
