N=2 Chiral Supergravity in (10 + 2)-Dimensions As Consistent Background for Super (2 + 2)-Brane

We present a theory of N=2 chiral supergravity in (10+2)-dimensions. This formulation is similar to N=1 supergravity presented recently using null-vectors in 12D. In order to see the consistency of this theory, we perform a simple dimensional reduction to ten-dimensions, reproducing the type IIB chiral supergravity. We also show that our supergravity can be consistent background for super (2+2)-brane theory, satisfying fermionic invariance of the total action. Such supergravity theory without manifest Lorentz invariance had been predicted by the recent F-theory in twelve-dimensions.Comment: 14 pages, LATEX, with minor corrections in typos and expression

Supergravity solutions with constant scalar invariants

We study a class of constant scalar invariant (CSI) spacetimes, which belong to the higher-dimensional Kundt class, that are solutions of supergravity. We review the known CSI supergravity solutions in this class and we explicitly present a number of new exact CSI supergravity solutions, some of which are Einstein.Comment: 12 pages; to appear in IJMP

Extremal Black Holes in Supergravity and the Bekenstein-Hawking Entropy

We review some results on the connection among supergravity central charges, BPS states and Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. In particular, N=2 supergravity in four dimensions is studied in detail. For higher N supergravities we just give an account of the general theory specializing the discussion to the N=8 case when one half of supersymmetry is preserved. We stress the fact that for extremal supergravity black holes the entropy formula is topological, that is the entropy turns out to be a moduli independent quantity and can be written in terms of invariants of the duality group of the supergravity theory.Comment: LaTeX, 65 pages. Contribution to the journal ``Entropy'', ISSN 1099-430

On the supersymmetry invariance of flat supergravity with boundary

The supersymmetry invariance of flat supergravity (i.e., supergravity in the absence of any internal scale in the Lagrangian) in four dimensions on a manifold with non-trivial boundary is explored. Using a geometric approach we find that the supersymmetry invariance of the Lagrangian requires to add appropriate boundary terms. This is achieved by considering additional gauge fields to the boundary without modifying the bulk Lagrangian. We also construct an enlarged supergravity model from which, in the vanishing cosmological constant limit, flat supergravity with a non-trivial boundary emerges properly.Comment: V2, 26 pages, discussions, motivation and references adde

Higher derivative couplings and massive supergravity in three dimensions

We develop geometric superspace settings to construct arbitrary higher derivative couplings (including R^n terms) in three-dimensional supergravity theories with N=1,2,3 by realising them as conformal supergravity coupled to certain compensators. For all known off-shell supergravity formulations, we construct supersymmetric invariants with up to and including four derivatives. As a warming-up exercise, we first give a new and completely geometric derivation of such invariants in N=1 supergravity. Upon reduction to components, they agree with those given in arXiv:0907.4658 and arXiv:1005.3952. We then carry out a similar construction in the case of N=2 supergravity for which there exist two minimal formulations that differ by the choice of compensating multiplet: (i) a chiral scalar multipet; (ii) a vector multiplet. For these formulations all four derivative invariants are constructed in completely general and gauge independent form. For a general supergravity model (in the N=1 and minimal N=2 cases) with curvature-squared and lower order terms, we derive the superfield equations of motion, linearise them about maximally supersymmetric backgrounds and obtain restrictions on the parameters that lead to models for massive supergravity. We use the non-minimal formulation for N = 2 supergravity (which corresponds to a complex linear compensator) to construct a novel consistent theory of massive supergravity. In the case of N = 3 supergravity, we employ the off-shell formulation with a vector multiplet as compensator to construct for the first time various higher derivative invariants. These invariants may be used to derive models for N = 3 massive supergravity. As a bi-product of our analysis, we also present superfield equations for massive higher spin multiplets in (1,0), (1,1) and (2,0) anti-de Sitter superspaces.Comment: 84 pages; V3: references added, minor modifications, published versio

On the Starobinsky Model of Inflation from Supergravity

We discuss how the higher-derivative Starobinsky model of inflation originates from N=1 supergravity. It is known that, in the old-minimal supergravity description written by employing a chiral compensator in the superconformal framework, the Starobinsky model is equivalent to a no-scale model with F-term potential. We show that the Starobinsky model can also be originated within the so-called new-minimal supergravity, where a linear compensator superfield is employed. In this formulation, the Starobinsky model is equivalent to standard supergravity coupled to a massive vector multiplet whose lowest scalar component plays the role of the inflaton and the vacuum energy is provided by a D-term potential. We also point out that higher-order corrections to the supergravity Lagrangian represent a threat to the Starobinsky model as they can destroy the flatness of the inflaton potential in its scalar field equivalent description.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, published versio