Supergravity models for (3+1)-dimensional QCD - art. no. 044001

The most general black M5-brane solution of eleven-dimensional supergravity (with a flat R-4 spacetime in the brane and a regular horizon) is characte rized by charge, mass and two angular momenta. We use this metric to constr uct general dual models of large-N QCD (at strong coupling) that depend on two free parameters. The mass spectrum of scalar particles is determined an alytically (in the WKB approximation) and numerically in the whole two-dime nsional parameter space. We compare the mass spectrum with analogous result s from lattice calculations, and find that the supergravity predictions are close to the lattice results everywhere on the two dimensional parameter s pace except along a special line. We also examine the mass spectrum of the supergravity Kaluza-Klein (KK) modes and find that the KK modes along the c ompact D-brane coordinate decouple from the spectrum for large angular mome nta. There are however KK modes charged under a U(1) X U(1) global symmetry which do not decouple anywhere on the parameter space. General formulas fo r the string tension and action are also given. [S0556-2821(99)00116-2].