Duality of Coordinates and Matter Fields in Curved Spacetime

We show that there exists a duality between the local coordinates and the solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation in curved spacetime in the same sense as in the Minkowski spacetime. However, the duality in curved spacetime does not have the same generality as in flat spacetime and it holds only if the system satisfies certain constraints. We derive these constraints and the basic equations of duality and discuss the implications in the quantum theory.Comment: 14 pages, ReVTeX file. Comments added, to appear in Phys.Lett.

Superfield Theories in Tensorial Superspaces and the Dynamics of Higher Spin Fields

We present the superfield generalization of free higher spin equations in tensorial superspaces and analyze tensorial supergravities with GL(n) and SL(n) holonomy as a possible framework for the construction of a non-linear higher spin field theory. Surprisingly enough, we find that the most general solution of the supergravity constraints is given by a class of superconformally flat and OSp(1|n)-related geometries. Because of the conformal symmetry of the supergravity constraints and of the higher spin field equations such geometries turn out to be trivial in the sense that they cannot generate a `minimal' coupling of higher spin fields to their potentials even in curved backgrounds with a non-zero cosmological constant. This suggests that the construction of interacting higher spin theories in this framework might require an extension of the tensorial superspace with additional coordinates such as twistor-like spinor variables which are used to construct the OSp(1|2n) invariant (`preonic') superparticle action in tensorial superspace.Comment: LaTeX, 30 pages, no figures. V2. Discussion on conventional constraints extended, typos corrected, JHEP style, to appear in JHE

Parent form for higher spin fields on anti-de Sitter space

We construct a first order parent field theory for free higher spin gauge fields on constant curvature spaces. As in the previously considered flat case, both Fronsdal's and Vasiliev's unfolded formulations can be reached by two different straightforward reductions. The parent theory itself is formulated using a higher dimensional embedding space and turns out to be geometrically extremely transparent and free of the intricacies of both of its reductions.Comment: 39 pages, LaTeX; misprints corrected, references adde

Surface charges and dynamical Killing tensors for higher spin gauge fields in constant curvature spaces

In the context of massless higher spin gauge fields in constant curvature spaces, we compute the surface charges which generalize the electric charge for spin one, the color charges in Yang-Mills theories and the energy-momentum and angular momentum for asymptotically flat gravitational fields. We show that there is a one-to-one map from surface charges onto divergence free Killing tensors. These Killing tensors are computed by relating them to a cohomology group of the first quantized BRST model underlying the Fronsdal action.Comment: 21 pages Latex file, references and comment adde

On the covariant quantization of tensionless bosonic strings in AdS spacetime

The covariant quantization of the tensionless free bosonic (open and closed) strings in AdS spaces is obtained. This is done by representing the AdS space as an hyperboloid in a flat auxiliary space and by studying the resulting string constrained hamiltonian system in the tensionless limit. It turns out that the constraint algebra simplifies in the tensionless case in such a way that the closed BRST quantization can be formulated and the theory admits then an explicit covariant quantization scheme. This holds for any value of the dimension of the AdS space.Comment: 1+16 pages; v4 two clarifications adde

Consistent deformations of [p,p]-type gauge field theories

Using BRST-cohomological techniques, we analyze the consistent deformations of theories describing free tensor gauge fields whose symmetries are represented by Young tableaux made of two columns of equal length p, p>1. Under the assumptions of locality and Poincare invariance, we find that there is no consistent deformation of these theories that non-trivially modifies the gauge algebra and/or the gauge transformations. Adding the requirement that the deformation contains no more than two derivatives, the only possible deformation is a cosmological-constant-like term.Comment: 17 pages, details of a proof added, accepted for publication in JHE

Reducible higher-spin multiplets in flat and AdS spaces and their geometric frame-like formulation

We consider the frame-like formulation of reducible sets of totally symmetric bosonic and fermionic higher-spin fields in flat and AdS backgrounds of any dimension, that correspond to so-called higher-spin triplets resulting from the string-inspired BRST approach. The explicit relationship of the fields of higher-spin triplets to the higher-spin vielbeins and connections is found. The gauge invariant actions are constructed including, in particular, the reducible (i.e. triplet) higher-spin fermion case in AdS_D space.Comment: 1+49 pages, This is an essentially extended version of the contribution to the volume dedicated to the 60th birthday anniversary of Joseph Buchbinder; v2 FIAN Preprint No and references adde

Nambu-Poisson Bracket and M-Theory Branes Coupled to Antisymmetric Fluxes

By using the recently proposed prescription arXiv:0804.3629 for obtaining the $M5$ brane action from multiple $M2$ branes action in BLG theory, we examine such transition when 11 Dimensional background antisymmetric fluxes couple to the $M2$ brane world volume. Such couplings was suggested in arXiv:0805.3427 where it was used the fact that various fields in BLG theory are valued in a Lie 3-algebra. We argue that this action and promoting it by Nambu-Poisson bracket gives the expected coupling of fluxes with $M5$ brane at least at weak coupling limit. We also study some other aspects of the action for example, the gauge invariance of the theory.Comment: 14 page

Topological A-Type Models with Flux

We study deformations of the A-model in the presence of fluxes, by which we mean rank-three tensors with antisymmetrized upper/lower indices, using the AKSZ construction. Generically these are topological membrane models, and we show that the fluxes are related to deformations of the Courant bracket which generalize the twist by a closed 3-from $H$, in the sense that satisfying the AKSZ master equation implies the integrability conditions for an almost generalized complex structure with respect to the deformed Courant bracket. In addition, the master equation imposes conditions on the fluxes that generalize $dH=0$. The membrane model can be defined on a large class of $U(m)$- and $U(m) \times U(m)$-structure manifolds, including geometries inspired by $(1,1)$ supersymmetric $\sigma$-models with additional supersymmetries due to almost complex (but not necessarily complex) structures in the target space. Furthermore, we show that the model can be defined on three particular half-flat manifolds related to the Iwasawa manifold. When only $H$-flux is turned on it is possible to obtain a topological string model, which we do for the case of a Calabi-Yau with a closed 3-form turned on. The simplest deformation from the A-model is due to the $(2,0)+ (0,2)$ component of a non-trivial $b$-field. The model is generically no longer evaluated on holomorphic maps and defines new topological invariants. Deformations due to $H$-flux can be more radical, completely preventing auxiliary fields from being integrated out.Comment: 30 pages. v2: Improved Version. References added. v3: Minor changes, published in JHE

Higher Spin Symmetry and N=4 SYM

We assemble the spectrum of single-trace operators in free N=4 SU(N) SYM theory into irreducible representations of the Higher Spin symmetry algebra hs(2,2|4). Higher Spin representations or YT-pletons are associated to Young tableaux (YT) corresponding to representations of the symmetric group compatible with the cyclicity of color traces. After turning on interactions, YT-pletons decompose into infinite towers of representations of the superconformal algebra PSU(2,2|4) and anomalous dimensions are generated. We work out the decompositions of tripletons with respect to the N=4 superconformal algebra PSU(2,2|4) and compute their one anomalous dimensions at large N. We then focus on operators/states sitting in semishort superconformal multiplets. By passing them through a semishort-sieve that removes superdescendants, we derive compact expressions for the partition function of semishort primaries.Comment: 38 pages, no figures. v2: references adde