The QCD trace anomaly at strong coupling from M-theory

Obtaining a lattice-consistent result for the temperature dependence of the QCD conformal anomaly from a top-down M-theory dual (valid) for all temperatures – both, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] – of thermal QCD at intermediate gauge coupling, has been missing in the literature. We fill this gap by addressing this issue from the M-theory uplift of the SYZ type IIA mirror at intermediate gauge/string coupling [both obtained in Dhuria et al. (JHEP 1311:001, 2013)] of the UV-complete type IIB holographic dual of large-N thermal QCD of Mia et al. (Nucl Phys B 839:187, 2010), and comparing with the very recent lattice results of Bazavov et al. (Phys Rev D 97(1):014510, 2018). Estimates of the [Formula: see text] higher derivative corrections in the [Formula: see text] supergravity action relevant to considering the aforementioned M theory uplift in the intermediate ’t Hooft coupling (in addition to gauge coupling) limit, are also presented. We also show that after a tuning of the (small) Ouyang embedding parameter and radius of a blown-up [Formula: see text] when expressed in terms of the horizon radius, a QCD deconfinement temperature [Formula: see text] MeV from a Hawking–Page phase transition at vanishing baryon chemical potential consistent with lattice QCD in the heavy-quark limit, can be obtained.