770 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
On duality symmetries of supergravity invariants
The role of duality symmetries in the construction of counterterms for
maximal supergravity theories is discussed in a field-theoretic context from
different points of view. These are: dimensional reduction, the question of
whether appropriate superspace measures exist and information about non-linear
invariants that can be gleaned from linearised ones. The former allows us to
prove that F-term counterterms cannot be E7(7)-invariant in D=4, N=8
supergravity or E6(6)-invariant in D=5 maximal supergravity. This is confirmed
by the two other methods which can also be applied to D=4 theories with fewer
supersymmetries and allow us to prove that N=6 supergravity is finite at three
and four loops and that N=5 supergravity is three-loop finite.Comment: Clarification of arguments and their consistency with higher
dimensional divergences added, e.g. we prove the 5D 4L non-renormalisation
theorem. The 4L N=6 divergence is also ruled out. References adde
Super-Yang-Mills and M5-branes
We uplift 5-dimensional super-Yang-Mills theory to a 6-dimensional gauge
theory with the help of a space-like constant vector , whose norm
determines the Yang-Mills coupling constant. After the localization of
the 6D gauge theory acquires Lorentzian invariance as well as scale invariance.
We discuss KK states, instantons and the flux quantization. The 6D theory
admits extended solutions like 1/2 BPS `strings' and monopoles.Comment: 15 pages; minor changes, to appear in JHE
Maximal supergravity in D=10: forms, Borcherds algebras and superspace cohomology
We give a very simple derivation of the forms of supergravity from
supersymmetry and SL(2,\bbR) (for IIB). Using superspace cohomology we show
that, if the Bianchi identities for the physical fields are satisfied, the
(consistent) Bianchi identities for all of the higher-rank forms must be
identically satisfied, and that there are no possible gauge-trivial Bianchi
identities () except for exact eleven-forms. We also show that the
degrees of the forms can be extended beyond the spacetime limit, and that the
representations they fall into agree with those predicted from Borcherds
algebras. In IIA there are even-rank RR forms, including a non-zero
twelve-form, while in IIB there are non-trivial Bianchi identities for
thirteen-forms even though these forms are identically zero in supergravity. It
is speculated that these higher-rank forms could be non-zero when higher-order
string corrections are included.Comment: 15 pages. Published version. Some clarification of the tex
Evidence for the classical integrability of the complete AdS(4) x CP(3) superstring
We construct a zero-curvature Lax connection in a sub-sector of the
superstring theory on AdS(4) x CP(3) which is not described by the
OSp(6|4)/U(3) x SO(1,3) supercoset sigma-model. In this sub-sector worldsheet
fermions associated to eight broken supersymmetries of the type IIA background
are physical fields. As such, the prescription for the construction of the Lax
connection based on the Z_4-automorphism of the isometry superalgebra OSp(6|4)
does not do the job. So, to construct the Lax connection we have used an
alternative method which nevertheless relies on the isometry of the target
superspace and kappa-symmetry of the Green-Schwarz superstring.Comment: 1+26 pages; v2: minor typos corrected, acknowledgements adde
N = 2 SCFTs: An M5-brane perspective
Inspired by the recently discovered holographic duality between N=2 SCFTs and
half-BPS M-theory backgrounds, we study probe M5-branes. Though our main focus
is supersymmetric M5-branes whose worldvolume has an AdS_n factor, we also
consider some other configurations. Of special mention is the identification of
AdS_5 and AdS_3 probes preserving supersymmetry, with only the latter
supporting a self-dual field strength.Comment: 27 page
Goldstinos, Supercurrents and Metastable SUSY Breaking in N=2 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories
We construct an N=2 supersymmetric generalization of the N=1 supercurrent
formalism of Komargodski and Seiberg (KS) and use it to show that N=2 theories
with linear superconformal anomalies cannot break SUSY under certain broad
assumptions. This result suggests that there are no metastable SUSY breaking
vacua in a large class of theories that includes N=2 Super Yang-Mills (SYM).Comment: 19 pages; minor revisions; JHEP versio
BPS States on M5-brane in Large C-field Background
We extensively study BPS solutions of the low energy effective theory of
M5-brane in large C-field background. This provides us an opportunity to
explore the interactions turned on by C-field background through the
Nambu-Poisson structure. The BPS states considered in this paper include the
M-waves, the self-dual string (M2 ending on M5), tilted M5-brane, holomorphic
embedding of M5-brane and the intersection of two M5-branes along a 3-brane.Comment: 25 pages, reference adde
Free Differential Algebras and Pure Spinor Action in IIB Superstring Sigma Models
In this paper we extend to the case of IIB superstring sigma models the
method proposed in hep-th/10023500 to derive the pure spinor approach for type
IIA sigma models. In particular, starting from the (Free) Differential Algebra
and superspace parametrization of type IIB supergravity, extended to include
the BRST differential and all the ghosts, we derive the BRST transformations of
fields and ghosts as well as the standard pure spinor constraints for the
ghosts related to supersymmetry. Moreover, using the method first
proposed by us, we derive the pure spinor action for type IIB superstrings in
curved supergravity backgrounds (on shell), in full agreement with the action
first obtained by Berkovits and Howe.Comment: 24 page
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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