Harmonic Superspace, Minimal Unitary Representations and Quasiconformal Groups

We show that there is a remarkable connection between the harmonic superspace (HSS) formulation of N=2, d=4 supersymmetric quaternionic Kaehler sigma models that couple to N=2 supergravity and the minimal unitary representations of their isometry groups. In particular, for N=2 sigma models with quaternionic symmetric target spaces of the form G/HXSU(2) we establish a one-to-one mapping between the Killing potentials that generate the isometry group G under Poisson brackets in the HSS formulation and the generators of the minimal unitary representation of G obtained by quantization of its geometric realization as a quasiconformal group. Quasiconformal extensions of U-duality groups of four dimensional N=2, d=4 Maxwell-Einstein supergravity theories (MESGT) had been proposed as spectrum generating symmetry groups earlier. We discuss some of the implications of our results, in particular, for the BPS black hole spectra of 4d, N=2 MESGTs.Comment: 20 pages; Latex file: references added; minor cosmetic change

Hidden 12-dimensional structures in AdS(5)xS(5) and M(4)xR(6) Supergravities

It is shown that AdS(5)xS(5) supergravity has hitherto unnoticed supersymmetric properties that are related to a hidden 12-dimensional structure. The totality of the AdS(5)xS(5) supergravity Kaluza-Klein towers is given by a single superfield that describes the quantum states of a 12-dimensional supersymmetric particle. The particle has super phase space (X,P,Theta) with (10,2) signature and 32 fermions. The worldline action is constructed as a generalization of the supersymmetric particle action in Two-Time Physics. SU(2,2|4) is a linearly realized global supersymmetry of the 2T action. The action is invariant under the gauge symmetries Sp(2,R), SO(4,2),SO(6), and fermionic kappa. These gauge symmetries insure unitarity and causality while allowing the reduction of the 12-dimensional super phase space to the correct super phase space for AdS(5)xS(5) or M(4)xR(6) with 16 fermions and one time, or other dually related one time spaces. One of the predictions of this formulation is that all of the SU(2,2|4) representations that describe Kaluza-Klein towers in AdS(5)xS(5) or M(4)xR(6) supergravity universally have vanishing eigenvalues for all the Casimir operators. This prediction has been verified directly in AdS(5)xS(5) supergravity. This suggests that the supergravity spectrum supports a hidden (10,2) structure. A possible duality between AdS(5)xS(5) and M(4)xR(6) supergravities is also indicated. Generalizations of the approach applicable 10-dimensional super Yang Mills theory and 11-dimensional M-theory are briefly discussed.Comment: LaTeX, 32 pages. v2 includes additional generalizations in the discussion section. The norm of J has been modified in eqs.(2.6, 3.3, 3.8). v3 includes a correction to Eq.(5.3

Generalized spacetimes defined by cubic forms and the minimal unitary realizations of their quasiconformal groups

We study the symmetries of generalized spacetimes and corresponding phase spaces defined by Jordan algebras of degree three. The generic Jordan family of formally real Jordan algebras of degree three describe extensions of the Minkowskian spacetimes by an extra "dilatonic" coordinate, whose rotation, Lorentz and conformal groups are SO(d-1), SO(d-1,1) XSO(1,1) and SO(d,2)XSO(2,1), respectively. The generalized spacetimes described by simple Jordan algebras of degree three correspond to extensions of Minkowskian spacetimes in the critical dimensions (d=3,4,6,10) by a dilatonic and extra (2,4,8,16) commuting spinorial coordinates, respectively. The Freudenthal triple systems defined over these Jordan algebras describe conformally covariant phase spaces. Following hep-th/0008063, we give a unified geometric realization of the quasiconformal groups that act on their conformal phase spaces extended by an extra "cocycle" coordinate. For the generic Jordan family the quasiconformal groups are SO(d+2,4), whose minimal unitary realizations are given. The minimal unitary representations of the quasiconformal groups F_4(4), E_6(2), E_7(-5) and E_8(-24) of the simple Jordan family were given in our earlier work hep-th/0409272.Comment: A typo in equation (37) corrected and missing titles of some references added. Version to be published in JHEP. 38 pages, latex fil

Minimal unitary representation of SU(2,2) and its deformations as massless conformal fields and their supersymmetric extensions

We study the minimal unitary representation (minrep) of SO(4,2) over an Hilbert space of functions of three variables, obtained by quantizing its quasiconformal action on a five dimensional space. The minrep of SO(4,2), which coincides with the minrep of SU(2,2) similarly constructed, corresponds to a massless conformal scalar in four spacetime dimensions. There exists a one-parameter family of deformations of the minrep of SU(2,2). For positive (negative) integer values of the deformation parameter \zeta one obtains positive energy unitary irreducible representations corresponding to massless conformal fields transforming in (0,\zeta/2) ((-\zeta/2,0)) representation of the SL(2,C) subgroup. We construct the supersymmetric extensions of the minrep of SU(2,2) and its deformations to those of SU(2,2|N). The minimal unitary supermultiplet of SU(2,2|4), in the undeformed case, simply corresponds to the massless N=4 Yang-Mills supermultiplet in four dimensions. For each given non-zero integer value of \zeta, one obtains a unique supermultiplet of massless conformal fields of higher spin. For SU(2,2|4) these supermultiplets are simply the doubleton supermultiplets studied in arXiv:hep-th/9806042.Comment: Revised with an extended introduction and additional references. Typos corrected. 49 pages; Latex fil

A Mysterious Zero in AdS(5) x S(5) Supergravity

It is shown that all the states in AdS(5) x S(5) supergravity have zero eigenvalue for the all Casimir operators of its symmetry group SU(2,2|4). To compute this universal zero in supergravity we refine the oscillator methods for studying the lowest weight unitary representations of SU(N,M|R,S). We solve the reduction problem when one multiplies an arbitrary number of super doubletons. This enters in the computation of the quadratic Casimir eigenvalues of the lowest weight representations. We apply the results to SU(2,2|4) that classifies the Kaluza-Klein towers of ten dimensional type IIB supergravity compactified on AdS(5) x S(5). We show that the vanishing of the SU(2,2|4) Casimir eigenvalues for all the states is indeed a group theoretical fact in AdS(5) x S(5) supergravity. By the AdS-CFT correspondence, it is also a fact for gauge invariant states of super Yang-Mills theory with four supersymmetries in four dimensions. This non-trivial and mysterious zero is very interesting because it is predicted as a straightforward consequence of the fundamental local Sp(2) symmetry in 2T-physics. Via the 2T-physics explanation of this zero we find a global indication that this special supergravity hides a twelve dimensional structure with (10,2) signature.Comment: v3 is in RevTeX format, 18 pages. Section 6 includes a more general algebraic structure that results in the vanishing of ALL Casimirs. J is consistently normalized in Eqs.(5) and (46

Lectures on Spectrum Generating Symmetries and U-duality in Supergravity, Extremal Black Holes, Quantum Attractors and Harmonic Superspace

We review the underlying algebraic structures of supergravity theories with symmetric scalar manifolds in five and four dimensions, orbits of their extremal black hole solutions and the spectrum generating extensions of their U-duality groups. For 5D, N=2 Maxwell-Einstein supergravity theories (MESGT) defined by Euclidean Jordan algebras, J, the spectrum generating symmetry groups are the conformal groups Conf(J) of J which are isomorphic to their U-duality groups in four dimensions. Similarly, the spectrum generating symmetry groups of 4D, N=2 MESGTs are the quasiconformal groups QConf(J) associated with J that are isomorphic to their U-duality groups in three dimensions. We then review the work on spectrum generating symmetries of spherically symmetric stationary 4D BPS black holes, based on the equivalence of their attractor equations and the equations for geodesic motion of a fiducial particle on the target spaces of corresponding 3D supergravity theories obtained by timelike reduction. We also discuss the connection between harmonic superspace formulation of 4D, N=2 sigma models coupled to supergravity and the minimal unitary representations of their isometry groups obtained by quantizing their quasiconformal realizations. We discuss the relevance of this connection to spectrum generating symmetries and conclude with a brief summary of more recent results.Comment: 55 pages; Latex fil

Hidden Symmetries, AdS_D x S^n, and the lifting of one-time-physics to two-time-physics

The massive non-relativistic free particle in d-1 space dimensions has an action with a surprizing non-linearly realized SO(d,2) symmetry. This is the simplest example of a host of diverse one-time-physics systems with hidden SO(d,2) symmetric actions. By the addition of gauge degrees of freedom, they can all be lifted to the same SO(d,2) covariant unified theory that includes an extra spacelike and an extra timelike dimension. The resulting action in d+2 dimensions has manifest SO(d,2) Lorentz symmetry and a gauge symmetry Sp(2,R) and it defines two-time-physics. Conversely, the two-time action can be gauge fixed to diverse one-time physical systems. In this paper three new gauge fixed forms that correspond to the non-relativistic particle, the massive relativistic particle, and the particle in AdS_(d-n) x S^n spacetime will be discussed. The last case is discussed at the first quantized and field theory levels as well. For the last case the popularly known symmetry is SO(d-n-1,2) x SO(n+1), but yet we show that it is symmetric under the larger SO(d,2). In the field theory version the action is symmetric under the full SO(d,2) provided it is improved with a quantized mass term that arises as an anomaly from operator ordering ambiguities. The anomalous cosmological term vanishes for AdS_2 x S^0 and AdS_n x S^n (i.e. d=2n). The strikingly larger symmetry could be significant in the context of the proposed AdS/CFT duality.Comment: Latex, 23 pages. The term "cosmological constant" that appeared in the original version has been changed to "mass term". My apologies for the confusio

EXTENDED SUPERCONFORMAL SYMMETRY, FREUDENTHAL TRIPLE SYSTEMS AND GAUGED WZW MODELS

We review the construction of extended ( N=2 and N=4 ) superconformal algebras over triple systems and the gauged WZW models invariant under them. The N=2 superconformal algebras (SCA) realized over Freudenthal triple systems (FTS) admit extension to ``maximal'' N=4 SCA's with SU(2)XSU(2)XU(1) symmetry. A detailed study of the construction and classification of N=2 and N=4 SCA's over Freudenthal triple systems is given. We conclude with a study and classification of gauged WZW models with N=4 superconformal symmetry.Comment: Invited talk presented at the Gursey Memorial Conference I in Istanbul, Turkiye (June 6-10, 1994). To appear in the proceedings of the conference. (21 pages. Latex document.

Orbits of Exceptional Groups, Duality and BPS States in String Theory

We give an invariant classification of orbits of the fundamental representations of exceptional groups $E_{7(7)}$ and $E_{6(6)}$ which classify BPS states in string and M theories toroidally compactified to d=4 and d=5. The exceptional Jordan algebra and the exceptional Freudenthal triple system and their cubic and quartic invariants play a major role in this classification. The cubic and quartic invariants correspond to the black hole entropy in d=5 and d=4, respectively. The classification of BPS states preserving different numbers of supersymmetries is in close parallel to the classification of the little groups and the orbits of timelike, lightlike and space-like vectors in Minkowski space. The orbits of BPS black holes in N=2 Maxwell-Einstein supergravity theories in d=4 and d=5 with symmetric space geometries are also classified including the exceptional N=2 theory that has $E_{7(-25)}$ and $E_{6(-26)}$ as its symmety in the respective dimensions.Comment: New references and two tables added, a new section on the orbits of N=2 Maxwell-Einstein supergravity theories in d=4 and d=5 included and some minor changes were made in other sections. 17 pages. Latex fil

Supersymmetric Two-Time Physics

We construct an Sp(2,R) gauge invariant particle action which possesses manifest space-time SO(d,2) symmetry, global supersymmetry and kappa supersymmetry. The global and local supersymmetries are non-abelian generalizations of Poincare type supersymmetries and are consistent with the presence of two timelike dimensions. In particular, this action provides a unified and explicit superparticle representation of the superconformal groups OSp(N/4), SU(2,2/N) and OSp(8*/N) which underlie various AdS/CFT dualities in M/string theory. By making diverse Sp(2,R) gauge choices our action reduces to diverse one-time physics systems, one of which is the ordinary (one-time) massless superparticle with superconformal symmetry that we discuss explicitly. We show how to generalize our approach to the case of superalgebras, such as OSp(1/32), which do not have direct space-time interpretations in terms of only zero branes, but may be realizable in the presence of p-branes.Comment: Latex, 18 page