437 research outputs found
Counting supersymmetric branes
Maximal supergravity solutions are revisited and classified, with particular
emphasis on objects of co-dimension at most two. This class of solutions
includes branes whose tension scales with g_s^{-\sigma} for \sigma>2. We
present a group theory derivation of the counting of these objects based on the
corresponding tensor hierarchies derived from E11 and discrete T- and U-duality
transformations. This provides a rationale for the wrapping rules that were
recently discussed for \sigma<4 in the literature and extends them. Explicit
supergravity solutions that give rise to co-dimension two branes are
constructed and analysed.Comment: 1+33 pages. To the memory of Laurent Houart. v2: Published version
with added reference
The general gaugings of maximal d=9 supergravity
We use the embedding tensor method to construct the most general maximal
gauged/massive supergravity in d=9 dimensions and to determine its extended
field content. Only the 8 independent deformation parameters (embedding tensor
components, mass parameters etc.) identified by Bergshoeff \textit{et al.} (an
SL(2,R) triplet, two doublets and a singlet can be consistently introduced in
the theory, but their simultaneous use is subject to a number of quadratic
constraints. These constraints have to be kept and enforced because they cannot
be used to solve some deformation parameters in terms of the rest. The
deformation parameters are associated to the possible 8-forms of the theory,
and the constraints are associated to the 9-forms, all of them transforming in
the conjugate representations. We also give the field strengths and the gauge
and supersymmetry transformations for the electric fields in the most general
case. We compare these results with the predictions of the E11 approach,
finding that the latter predicts one additional doublet of 9-forms, analogously
to what happens in N=2, d=4,5,6 theories.Comment: Latex file, 43 pages, reference adde
Massive Three-Dimensional Supergravity From R+R^2 Action in Six Dimensions
We obtain a three-parameter family of massive N=1 supergravities in three
dimensions from the 3-sphere reduction of an off-shell N=(1,0) six-dimensional
Poincare supergravity that includes a curvature squared invariant. The
three-dimensional theory contains an off-shell supergravity multiplet and an
on-shell scalar matter multiplet. We then generalise this in three dimensions
to an eight-parameter family of supergravities. We also find a duality
relationship between the six-dimensional theory and the N=(1,0) six-dimensional
theory obtained through a T^4 reduction of the heterotic string effective
action that includes the higher-order terms associated with the
supersymmetrisation of the anomaly-cancelling \tr(R\wedge R) term.Comment: Latex, 32 Pages, an equation is corrected, a few new equations and a
number of clarifying remarks are adde
D-Brane Wess-Zumino Terms and U-Duality
We construct gauge-invariant and U-duality covariant expressions for
Wess-Zumino terms corresponding to general Dp-branes (for any p<D) in arbitrary
2<D<11 dimensions. A distinguishing feature of these Wess-Zumino terms is that
they contain twice as many scalars as the 10-D compactified dimensions, in line
with doubled geometry. We find that for D<10 the charges of the
higher-dimensional branes can all be expressed as products of the 0-brane
charges, which include the D0-brane and the NS-NS 0-brane charges. We give the
general expressions for these charges and show how they determine the
non-trivial conjugacy class to which some of the higher-dimensional D-branes
belong.Comment: 42 pages. Typos corrected, an error in table 6 corrected, comments in
the conclusions adde
Domain walls and instantons in N=1, d=4 supergravity
We study the supersymmetric sources of (multi-) domain-wall and (multi-)
instanton solutions of generic N=1, d=4 supergravities, that is: the
worldvolume effective actions for said supersymmetric topological defects. The
domain-wall solutions naturally couple to the two 3-forms recently found as
part of the N=1, d=4 tensor hierarchy (i.e. they have two charges in general)
and their tension is the absolute value of the superpotential section L. The
introduction of sources (we study sources with finite and vanishing thickness)
is equivalent to the introduction of local coupling constants and results in
dramatic changes of the solutions. Our results call for a democratic
reformulation of N=1,d=4 supergravity in which coupling constants are,
off-shell, scalar fields. The effective actions for the instantons are always
proportional to the coordinate orthogonal to the twist-free embedding of the
null-geodesic (in the Wick-rotated scalar manifold) describing the instanton.
We show their supersymmetry and find the associated supersymmetric (multi-)
instanton solutions.Comment: 34 pages, 4 figures, references adde
On Topologically Massive Spin-2 Gauge Theories beyond Three Dimensions
We investigate in which sense, at the linearized level, one can extend the 3D
topologically massive gravity theory beyond three dimensions. We show that, for
each k=1,2,3... a free topologically massive gauge theory in 4k-1 dimensions
can be defined describing a massive "spin-2" particle provided one uses a
non-standard representation of the massive "spin-2" state which makes use of a
two-column Young tableau where each column is of height 2k-1. We work out the
case of k=2, i.e. 7D, and show, by canonical analysis, that the model
describes, unitarily, 35 massive "spin-2" degrees of freedom. The issue of
interactions is discussed and compared with the three-dimensional situation.Comment: 14 pages. v2: minor changes - published versio
IIA/IIB Supergravity and Ten-forms
We perform a careful investigation of which p-form fields can be introduced
consistently with the supersymmetry algebra of IIA and/or IIB ten-dimensional
supergravity. In particular the ten-forms, also known as "top-forms", require a
careful analysis since in this case, as we will show, closure of the
supersymmetry algebra at the linear level does not imply closure at the
non-linear level. Consequently, some of the (IIA and IIB) ten-form potentials
introduced in earlier work of some of us are discarded. At the same time we
show that new ten-form potentials, consistent with the full non-linear
supersymmetry algebra can be introduced. We give a superspace explanation of
our work. All of our results are precisely in line with the predictions of the
E(11) algebra.Comment: 17 page
On "New Massive" 4D Gravity
We construct a four-dimensional (4D) gauge theory that propagates, unitarily,
the five polarization modes of a massive spin-2 particle. These modes are
described by a "dual" graviton gauge potential and the Lagrangian is 4th-order
in derivatives. As the construction mimics that of 3D "new massive gravity", we
call this 4D model (linearized) "new massive dual gravity". We analyse its
massless limit, and discuss similarities to the Eddington-Schroedinger model.Comment: 17 pages, v2 : version published in JHE
Tensor hierarchies, Borcherds algebras and E11
Gauge deformations of maximal supergravity in D=11-n dimensions generically
give rise to a tensor hierarchy of p-form fields that transform in specific
representations of the global symmetry group E(n). We derive the formulas
defining the hierarchy from a Borcherds superalgebra corresponding to E(n).
This explains why the E(n) representations in the tensor hierarchies also
appear in the level decomposition of the Borcherds superalgebra. We show that
the indefinite Kac-Moody algebra E(11) can be used equivalently to determine
these representations, up to p=D, and for arbitrarily large p if E(11) is
replaced by E(r) with sufficiently large rank r.Comment: 22 pages. v2: Published version (except for a few minor typos
detected after the proofreading, which are now corrected
Higher Derivative Extension of 6D Chiral Gauged Supergravity
Six-dimensional (1,0) supersymmetric gauged Einstein-Maxwell supergravity is
extended by the inclusion of a supersymmetric Riemann tensor squared invariant.
Both the original model as well as the Riemann tensor squared invariant are
formulated off-shell and consequently the total action is off-shell invariant
without modification of the supersymmetry transformation rules. In this
formulation, superconformal techniques, in which the dilaton Weyl multiplet
plays a crucial role, are used. It is found that the gauging of the U(1)
R-symmetry in the presence of the higher-order derivative terms does not modify
the positive exponential in the dilaton potential. Moreover, the supersymmetric
Minkowski(4) x S^2 compactification of the original model, without the
higher-order derivatives, is remarkably left intact. It is shown that the model
also admits non-supersymmetric vacuum solutions that are direct product spaces
involving de Sitter spacetimes and negative curvature internal spaces.Comment: 32 pages; typos corrected, footnote in conclusions section adde
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