84 research outputs found
D=3, N=8 conformal supergravity and the Dragon window
We give a superspace description of D=3, N=8 supergravity. The formulation is
off-shell in the sense that the equations of motion are not implied by the
superspace constraints (but an action principle is not given). The multiplet
structure is unconventional, which we connect to the existence of a "Dragon
window", that is modules occurring in the supercurvature but not in the
supertorsion. According to Dragon's theorem this cannot happen above three
dimensions. We clarify the relevance of this window for going on the conformal
shell, and discuss some aspects of coupling to conformal matter.Comment: plain tex, 24 pp v2: minor change
Pure spinor superfields -- an overview
Maximally supersymmetric theories do not allow off-shell superspace
formulations with traditional superfields containing a finite set of auxiliary
fields. It has become clear that off-shell supersymmetric action formulations
of such models can be achieved by the introduction of pure spinors. In this
talk, an overview of this formalism is given, with emphasis on D=10
super-Yang-Mills theory and D=11 supergravity. This a somewhat expanded version
of a talk presented at the workshop "Breaking of supersymmetry and ultraviolet
divergences in extended supergravity" (BUDS), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati,
March 25-28, 2013.Comment: 34 pp., 2 figs., contributions to the proceedings of the workshop
"Breaking of supersymmetry and ultraviolet divergences in extended
supergravity" (BUDS), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, March 25-28, 201
Three-dimensional topologically gauged N=6 ABJM type theories
In this paper we construct the conformal supergravity in three
dimensions from a set of Chern-Simons-like terms one for each of the graviton,
gravitino, and R-symmetry gauge field and then couple this theory to the
superconformal ABJM theory. In a first step part of the coupled
Lagrangian for this topologically gauged ABJM theory is derived by demanding
that all terms of third and second order in covariant derivatives cancel in the
supersymmtry variation of the Lagrangian. To achieve this the transformation
rules of the two separate sectors must be augmented by new terms. In a second
step we analyze all terms in that are of first order in covariant
derivatives. The cancelation of these terms require additional terms in the
transformation rules as well as a number of new terms in the Lagrangian. As a
final step we check that all remaining terms in which are bilinear
in fermions cancel which means that the presented Lagrangian and transformation
rules constitute the complete answer. In particular we find in the last step
new terms in the scalar potential containing either one or no structure
constant. The non-derivative higher fermion terms in that have not
yet been completely analyzed are briefly discussed.Comment: 26 pages, v.2 minor corrections, comment on relation to chiral
gravity added
Higgsing M2 to D2 with gravity: N=6 chiral supergravity from topologically gauged ABJM theory
We present the higgsing of three-dimensional N=6 superconformal ABJM type
theories coupled to conformal supergravity, so called topologically gauged ABJM
theory, thus providing a gravitational extension of previous work on the
relation between N M2 and N D2-branes. The resulting N=6 supergravity theory
appears at a chiral point similar to that of three-dimensional chiral gravity
introduced recently by Li, Song and Strominger, but with the opposite sign for
the Ricci scalar term in the lagrangian. We identify the supersymmetry in the
broken phase as a particular linear combination of the supersymmetry and
special conformal supersymmetry in the original topologically gauged ABJM
theory. We also discuss the higgsing procedure in detail paying special
attention to the role played by the U(1) factors in the original ABJM model and
the U(1) introduced in the topological gauging.Comment: 53 pages, Late
The superconformal theory is free!
The SuperConformal theory in three space-time dimensions with SO(16)
-symmetry, 128 bosons, and 128 fermions, cannot sustain interactions. This
result is obtained using both light-cone superspace techniques which rely on
algebraic consistency, and covariant methods which rely on SO(16) Fierz
identities which fail to produce the desired algebra.Comment: 14 page
The BLG Theory in Light-Cone Superspace
The light-cone superspace version of the d=3, N=8 superconformal theory of
Bagger, Lambert and Gustavsson (BLG) is obtained as a solution to constraints
imposed by OSp(2,2|8) superalgebra. The Hamiltonian of the theory is shown to
be a quadratic form of the dynamical supersymmetry transformation.Comment: 45 pages, v2: reference added, minor typos corrected, published
versio
On the conformal higher spin unfolded equation for a three-dimensional self-interacting scalar field
Unifying N=5 and N=6
We write the Lagrangian of the general N=5 three-dimensional superconformal
Chern-Simons theory, based on a basic Lie superalgebra, in terms of our
recently introduced N=5 three-algebras. These include N=6 and N=8
three-algebras as special cases. When we impose an antisymmetry condition on
the triple product, the supersymmetry automatically enhances, and the N=5
Lagrangian reduces to that of the well known N=6 theory, including the ABJM and
ABJ models.Comment: 19 pages. v2: Published version. Minor typos corrected, references
adde
Impure Aspects of Supersymmetric Wilson Loops
We study a general class of supersymmetric Wilson loops operator in N = 4
super Yang-Mills theory, obtained as orbits of conformal transformations. These
loops are the natural generalization of the familiar circular Wilson-Maldacena
operator and their supersymmetric properties are encoded into a Killing spinor
that is not pure. We present a systematic analysis of their scalar couplings
and of the preserved supercharges, modulo the action of the global symmetry
group, both in the compact and in the non-compact case. The quantum behavior of
their expectation value is also addressed, in the simplest case of the
Lissajous contours: explicit computations at weak-coupling, through Feynman
diagrams expansion, and at strong-coupling, by means of AdS/CFT correspondence,
suggest the possibility of an exact evaluation.Comment: 40 pages, 4 figure
Towards a manifestly supersymmetric action for 11-dimensional supergravity
We investigate the possibility of writing a manifestly supersymmetric action
for 11-dimensional supergravity. The construction involves an explicit relation
between the fields in the super-vielbein and the super-3-form, and uses
non-minimal pure spinors. A simple cubic interaction term for a single scalar
superfield is found.Comment: 22 pp., plain tex. v2: references adde
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