On the generalized Komar charge of supersymmetric solutions
Pith reviewed 2026-05-08 17:32 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Generalized Komar charges vanish identically for supersymmetric Killing vectors built from Killing spinor bilinears in specified supergravity theories.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
In the supersymmetric solutions of the considered supergravity theories, the generalized Komar charge evaluated on the supersymmetric Killing vector, constructed as the bilinear of the Killing spinors, vanishes identically. This vanishing property is established for the listed theories and provides a way to prove the supersymmetry bounds satisfied by some of those solutions in a rigorous manner that does not depend on coordinate choices.
What carries the argument
The generalized Komar charge evaluated on the supersymmetric Killing vector constructed as a bilinear of the Killing spinors.
If this is right
- The vanishing supplies a coordinate-independent proof of BPS bounds for some of the solutions.
- The result holds across the ungauged N=2 d=4, N=1 d=5 with vector multiplets, and pure N=1 d=10 supergravity theories.
- The property ties the conserved charge directly to the existence of Killing spinors without additional assumptions on the metric or fields.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The same vanishing might be checked in other supergravity theories with similar spinor structures to test broader applicability.
- This approach could simplify mass and charge calculations for supersymmetric black holes by avoiding explicit integration over asymptotic surfaces.
- It suggests that spinor bilinears may serve as a general tool for identifying which Killing vectors carry zero charge in extended gravity theories.
Load-bearing premise
The solutions admit Killing spinors whose bilinears define a Killing vector, and the theories are precisely the ungauged N=2 d=4, N=1 d=5 with vector multiplets, and pure N=1 d=10 cases considered.
What would settle it
An explicit computation of the generalized Komar charge for the bilinear Killing vector in one of the listed supergravity theories, using a known supersymmetric solution such as an extremal black hole, that yields a nonzero value.
read the original abstract
We consider the supersymmetric solutions of several supergravity theories (ungauged $\mathcal{N}=2,d=4$ and $\mathcal{N}=1,d=5$ supergravities coupled to vector supermultiplets and pure $\mathcal{N}=1,d=10$ supergravity) and show that their generalized Komar charges vanish identically for the supersymmetric Killing vector which is constructed as a bilinear of the Killing spinors of those solutions. This property can be used to prove the supersymmetry (``BPS'') bounds satisfied by some of those solutions in a rigorous, coordinate-independent way.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper considers supersymmetric solutions of ungauged N=2 d=4 and N=1 d=5 supergravities coupled to vector multiplets, as well as pure N=1 d=10 supergravity. It shows that the generalized Komar charges vanish identically for the supersymmetric Killing vector constructed as a bilinear of the Killing spinors. This identity is then applied to prove the BPS bounds satisfied by some of these solutions in a rigorous, coordinate-independent way.
Significance. If the central identity holds, the result supplies a direct algebraic route to BPS bounds that avoids coordinate-dependent arguments and relies only on the Killing spinor equations together with the explicit form of the generalized Komar integrand. This is a clear strength for the field, as it furnishes an exact, non-numerical identity that can be checked against known solutions. No machine-checked proofs or reproducible code are provided, but the purely algebraic character of the claim is itself a positive feature.
major comments (1)
- [§3] §3, around Eq. (3.12): the cancellation that makes the generalized Komar charge vanish is stated to follow from the Killing spinor equation, but the intermediate algebraic steps that contract the bilinear with the curvature and flux terms are not shown explicitly. Without these steps the identity remains asserted rather than derived, which is load-bearing for the central claim.
minor comments (2)
- [Introduction] The abstract and introduction list the theories considered, but a short table summarizing the field content and the precise form of the generalized Komar integrand for each case would improve readability.
- [§4] In §4 the application to BPS bounds refers to 'some of those solutions' without naming which explicit solutions are used as checks; adding one or two concrete examples (e.g., the BMPV black hole or a simple 10d plane-wave) would make the utility of the identity clearer.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the careful reading of the manuscript and the constructive comment. We address the point raised below.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: [§3] §3, around Eq. (3.12): the cancellation that makes the generalized Komar charge vanish is stated to follow from the Killing spinor equation, but the intermediate algebraic steps that contract the bilinear with the curvature and flux terms are not shown explicitly. Without these steps the identity remains asserted rather than derived, which is load-bearing for the central claim.
Authors: We agree that the intermediate algebraic steps were not displayed explicitly. In the revised version we will expand the discussion around Eq. (3.12) by inserting the explicit contractions of the supersymmetric bilinear with the curvature and flux terms, showing term-by-term cancellation that follows directly from the Killing spinor equations. This will render the vanishing of the generalized Komar charge fully derived rather than asserted. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No significant circularity identified
full rationale
The paper derives an algebraic identity: generalized Komar charges vanish identically on the supersymmetric Killing vector built from Killing spinor bilinears, using the Killing spinor equations and the explicit form of the Komar integrand in the listed ungauged supergravity theories. This is presented as a direct calculation without reference to fitted parameters, self-referential definitions, or load-bearing self-citations that reduce the central claim to its inputs. The abstract and construction indicate a self-contained mathematical identity that can then be applied to BPS bounds, with no reduction by construction or smuggling of ansatze via citation.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
Stability of Gravity with a Cosmological Constant,
L. F. Abbott and S. Deser, “Stability of Gravity with a Cosmological Constant,” Nucl. Phys. B195(1982),76-96DOI:10.1016/0550-3213(82)90049-9
-
[2]
Charge Definition in Nonabelian Gauge Theories,
L. F. Abbott and S. Deser, “Charge Definition in Nonabelian Gauge Theories,” Phys. Lett. B116(1982),259-263DOI:10.1016/0370-2693(82)90338-0
-
[3]
Covariant conservation laws in general relativity,
A. Komar, “Covariant conservation laws in general relativity,” Phys. Rev.113 (1959),934-936DOI:10.1103/PhysRev.113.934
-
[4]
The Four laws of black hole mechanics,
J. M. Bardeen, B. Carter and S. W. Hawking, “The Four laws of black hole me- chanics,” Commun. Math. Phys.31(1973),161-170DOI:10.1007/BF01645742
-
[5]
Black holes equilibrium states,
B. Carter, “Black holes equilibrium states,” Contribution to: Les Houches Summer School of Theoretical Physics,57-214
-
[6]
On Komar integrals in asymptotically anti-de Sitter space-times,
A. Magnon, “On Komar integrals in asymptotically anti-de Sitter space-times,” J. Math. Phys.26(1985),3112-3117DOI:10.1063/1.526690
-
[7]
A Gauss type law for gravity with a cosmological constant,
S. L. Bazanski and P . Zyla, “A Gauss type law for gravity with a cosmological constant,” Gen. Rel. Grav.22(1990),379-387
1990
-
[8]
Smarr Formula for Lovelock Black Holes: a Lagrangian approach,
S. Liberati and C. Pacilio, “Smarr Formula for Lovelock Black Holes: a Lagrangian approach,” Phys. Rev. D93(2016) no.8,084044DOI:10.1103/PhysRevD.93.084044 [arXiv:1511.05446[gr-qc]]
-
[9]
Komar integrals for theories of higher order in the Riemann curvature and black-hole chemistry,
T. Ortín, “Komar integrals for theories of higher order in the Riemann curvature and black-hole chemistry,” JHEP08(2021),023DOI:10.1007/JHEP08(2021)023 [arXiv:2104.10717[gr-qc]]
-
[10]
Komar integral and Smarr for- mula for axion-dilaton black holes versus S duality,
D. Mitsios, T. Ortín and D. Pereñiguez, “Komar integral and Smarr for- mula for axion-dilaton black holes versus S duality,” JHEP08(2021),019 DOI:10.1007/JHEP08(2021)019[arXiv:2106.07495[hep-th]]
-
[11]
Black hole chemistry, the cos- mological constant and the embedding tensor,
P . Meessen, D. Mitsios and T. Ortín, “Black hole chemistry, the cos- mological constant and the embedding tensor,” JHEP12(2022),155 DOI:10.1007/JHEP12(2022)155[arXiv:2203.13588[hep-th]]
-
[12]
Magnetic charges and Wald entropy,
T. Ortín and D. Pereñiguez, “Magnetic charges and Wald entropy,” JHEP11(2022), 081DOI:10.1007/JHEP11(2022)081[arXiv:2207.12008[hep-th]]
-
[13]
A note on the Noether-Wald and gen- eralized Komar charges,
T. Ortín and M. Zatti, “A note on the Noether-Wald and gen- eralized Komar charges,” SciPost Phys. Core8(2025),094 DOI:10.21468/SciPostPhysCore.8.4.094[arXiv:2411.10420[gr-qc]]. 20
-
[14]
On-shell Lagrangians as total derivatives and the generalized Komar charge,
J. L. V . Cerdeira and T. Ortín, “On-shell Lagrangians as total derivatives and the generalized Komar charge,” JHEP09(2025),068DOI:10.1007/JHEP09(2025)068 [arXiv:2506.14024[hep-th]]
-
[15]
Gravity and Strings
T. Ortín, “Gravity and Strings”,2nd edition, Cambridge University Press,2015
2015
-
[16]
Black hole solutions in theories of supergravity,
T. Ortín, “Black hole solutions in theories of supergravity,” [arXiv:2412.12020 [hep-th]]
-
[17]
Aspects of Supergravity Theories,
G. W. Gibbons, “Aspects of Supergravity Theories,” Print-85-0061(CAMBRIDGE). Contribution to the XV GIFT Seminar on Supersymmetry and Supergravity
-
[18]
P . Meessen and T. Ortín, “The Supersymmetric configurations of N=2, D=4su- pergravity coupled to vector supermultiplets,” Nucl. Phys. B749(2006),291-324 DOI:10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2006.05.025[hep-th/0603099[hep-th]]
-
[19]
On scalar charges and black hole thermodynamics,
R. Ballesteros, C. Gómez-Fayrén, T. Ortín and M. Zatti, “On scalar charges and black hole thermodynamics,” JHEP05(2023),158DOI:10.1007/JHEP05(2023)158 [arXiv:2302.11630[hep-th]]
-
[20]
H-FGK formalism for black-hole solutions of N=2, d=4and d=5supergravity,
P . Meessen, T. Ortín, J. Perz and C. S. Shahbazi, “H-FGK formalism for black-hole solutions of N=2, d=4and d=5supergravity,” Phys. Lett. B709(2012),260-265 DOI:10.1016/j.physletb.2012.02.018[arXiv:1112.3332[hep-th]]
-
[21]
All the supersymmetric so- lutions of N=1,d=5ungauged supergravity,
J. Bellorín, P . Meessen and T. Ortín, “All the supersymmetric so- lutions of N=1,d=5ungauged supergravity,” JHEP01(2007),020 DOI:10.1088/1126-6708/2007/01/020[hep-th/0610196[hep-th]]
-
[22]
Global structure of five-dimensional fuzzballs,
G. W. Gibbons and N. P . Warner, “Global structure of five-dimensional fuzzballs,” Class. Quant. Grav.31(2014),025016DOI:10.1088/0264-9381/31/2/025016 [arXiv:1305.0957[hep-th]]
-
[23]
Komar charges and integrals for p-branes,
G. Barbagallo, J. L. V . Cerdeira and T. Ortín, “Komar charges and integrals for p-branes,” to appear
-
[24]
The first law of het- erotic stringy black hole mechanics at zeroth order inα’,
Z. Elgood, D. Mitsios, T. Ortín and D. Pereñíguez, “The first law of het- erotic stringy black hole mechanics at zeroth order inα’,” JHEP07(2021),007 DOI:10.1007/JHEP07(2021)007[arXiv:2012.13323[hep-th]]
-
[25]
The first law and Wald entropy for- mula of heterotic stringy black holes at first order inα ′,
Z. Elgood, T. Ortín and D. Pereñiguez, “The first law and Wald entropy for- mula of heterotic stringy black holes at first order inα ′,” JHEP05(2021),110 DOI:10.1007/JHEP05(2021)110[arXiv:2012.14892[hep-th]]
-
[26]
Higher-form symmetries in supergravity, scalar charges and black-hole thermo- dynamics,
G. Barbagallo, J. L. V . Cerdeira, C. Gómez-Fayrén, P . Meessen and T. Ortín, “Higher-form symmetries in supergravity, scalar charges and black-hole thermo- dynamics,” [arXiv:2512.22565[hep-th]]. 21
-
[27]
On the supersymmetric solutions of the Heterotic Superstring effective action,
A. Fontanella and T. Ortín, “On the supersymmetric solutions of the Heterotic Superstring effective action,” JHEP06(2020),106[erratum: JHEP10(2021),130] DOI:10.1007/JHEP10(2021)130[arXiv:1910.08496[hep-th]]
-
[28]
The Quartic Effective Action of the Heterotic String and Supersymmetry,
E. A. Bergshoeff and M. de Roo, “The Quartic Effective Action of the Heterotic String and Supersymmetry,” Nucl. Phys. B328(1989),439-468 DOI:10.1016/0550-3213(89)90336-2
-
[29]
Barbagallo and T
G. Barbagallo and T. Ortín, work in profgress. 22
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.