Electrodynamics of black holes in STU supergravity

External magnetic fields can probe the composite structure of black holes in string theory. With this motivation we study magnetised four-charge black holes in the STU model, a consistent truncation of maximally supersymmetric supergravity with four types of electromagnetic fields. We employ solution generating techniques to obtain Melvin backgrounds, and black holes in these backgrounds. For an initially electrically charged static black hole immersed in magnetic fields, we calculate the resultant angular momenta and analyse their global structure. Examples are given for which the ergoregion does not extend to infinity. We calculate magnetic moments and gyromagnetic ratios via Larmor\u27s formula. Our results are consistent with earlier special cases. A scaling limit and associated subtracted geometry in a single surviving magnetic field is shown to lift to AdS(3) x S-2. Magnetizing magnetically charged black holes give static solutions with conical singularities representing strings or struts holding the black holes against magnetic forces. In some cases it is possible to balance these magnetic forces