In six-dimensional supergravity, there is a natural sense in which matter lying in certain representations of the gauge group is "generic," in the sense that other "exotic" matter representations require more fine tuning. From considerations of the dimensionality of the moduli space and anomaly cancellation conditions, we find that the generic sets of matter representations are well-defined for 6D supergravity theories with gauge groups containing arbitrary numbers of nonabelian factors and $\operatorname{U}(1)$ factors. These generic matter representations also match with those that arise in the most generic F-theory constructions, both in 6D and in 4D, with non-generic matter representations requiring more exotic singularity types. The analysis of generic versus exotic matter illuminates long-standing puzzles regarding F-theory models with multiple $\operatorname{U}(1)$ factors and provides a useful framework for analyzing the 6D "swampland" of apparently consistent low-energy theories that cannot be realized through known string constructions. We note also that the matter content of the standard model is generic by the criteria used here only if the global structure is $\operatorname{SU}(3)_\text{c} \times \operatorname{SU}(2)_\text{L} \times \operatorname{U}(1)_Y / \mathbb{Z}_6$.
We give an elementary introduction to the structure of supergravity theories. This leads to a table with an overview of supergravity and supersymmetry theories in dimensions 4 to 11. The basic steps in constructing supergravity theories are considered: determination of the underlying algebra, the multiplets, the actions, and solutions. Finally, an overview is given of the geometries that result from the scalars of supergravity theories.
This Ph.D. thesis was submitted to the Catholic University of Leuven. We discuss two main topics: various formulations of duality-symmetric theories and D=5 supergravity (both construction and supersymmetric solutions). The thesis is structured as follows: Ch. 1 Introduction; Ch. 2 String theory toolkit; Ch. 3 Free duality-symmetric theories; Ch. 4 Interacting duality-symmetric theories; Ch. 5 Conformal supergravity in D=5: Weyl multiplets; Ch. 6 Conformal supergravity in D=5: matter and gauge-fixing; Ch. 7 Supersymmetric solutions in D=5 gauged supergravity.
We construct supergravity solutions dual to twisted field theories that are the worldvolume theories of D4-branes wrapped on 2, 3-cycles, and NS-fivebranes on 3-cycles. We first obtain the solutions for the Romans' six-dimensional gauged supergravity theories and then up-lift them to ten dimensions. In particular, we find solutions for field configurations with either non-Abelian fields or B-fields being excited. One of these solutions, in the massless case, is up-lifted to the massless type IIA string theory. This is the first example of such a kind. The cases studied provide new examples of …
We establish a direct correspondence between certain higher-rank p-form Chern-Simons topological type theories in the bulk of a manifold with boundary and particular sectors of supergravity models on the boundary, provided that certain boundary conditions are satisfied. The cases we investigate include eleven-dimensional supergravity and both of the type II theories in ten dimensions.
The ultrashort unitary (4,0) supermultiplet of 6d superconformal algebra OSp(8*|8) reduces to the CPT-self conjugate supermultiplet of 4d superconformal algebra SU(2,2|8) that represents the fields of maximal N=8 supergravity. The graviton in the (4,0) multiplet is described by a mixed tensor gauge field which can not be identified with the standard metric in 6d. Furthermore the (4,0) supermultiplet can be obtained as a double copy of (2,0) conformal supermultiplet whose interacting theories are non-Lagrangian. It had been suggested that an interacting non-metric (4,0) supergravity theory migh…
We give generalizations of extended Poincaré supergravity with {\it arbitrarily many} supersymmetries in the absence of central charges in three-dimensions by gauging its intrinsic global $~SO(N)$~ symmetry. We call these \alephnull (Aleph-Null) supergravity theories. We further couple a non-Abelian supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory and an Abelian topological BF theory to \alephnull supergravity. Our result overcomes the previous difficulty for supersymmetrization of Chern-Simons theories beyond $~N=4$. This feature is peculiar to the Chern-Simons and BF theories including supergravity in thr…
We explicitly show the area law behavior of a circular Wilson loop in confining theories from supergravity. We calculate the correlator of two Wilson loops from supergravity in confining backgrounds. We find that it is dominated by an exchange of a ``scalarball'' that is lighter than the glueballs. We interpret these results in terms of the meson-meson potential in such theories.
An introduction to and a partial review of supergravity theories is given, insisting on concepts and on some important technical aspects. Topics covered include elements of global supersymmetry, a derivation of the simplest N=1 supergravity theory, a discussion of N=1 matter-supergravity couplings, of the scalar sector and of some simple models. Space-time is four-dimensional.
We obtain three and four dimensional conformal field theories with less than maximal supersymmetry by using their supergravity duals. These supergravity theories are type II on $AdS_5 \times CP^2$, IIA on $AdS_4 \times CP^3$, IIB on $AdS_5 \times S^5/Z_k$ and D=11 supergravity on $AdS_4 \times S^7/Z_k$. They are obtained from the spherically compactified ten and eleven dimensional theories by either Hopf reduction or by winding the U(1) fiber over the base.
We explore some aspects of 4D supergravity theories and F-theory vacua that are parallel to structures in the space of 6D theories. The spectrum and topological terms in 4D supergravity theories correspond to topological data of F-theory geometry, just as in six dimensions. In particular, topological axion-curvature squared couplings appear in 4D theories; these couplings are characterized by vectors in the dual to the lattice of axion shift symmetries associated with string charges. These terms are analogous to the Green-Schwarz terms of 6D supergravity theories, though in 4D the terms are no…
Magnetic BPS string solutions preserving quarter of supersymmetry are obtained for all abelian gauged d=5 N=2 supergravity theories coupled to vector supermultiplets. Due to a ``generalised Dirac quantization'' condition satisfied by the minimized magnetic central charge, the string metric takes a universal form for all five dimensional gauged theories.
In view of the newly conjectured Kac-Moody symmetries of supergravity theories placed in eleven and ten dimensions, the relation between these symmetry groups and possible compactifications are examined. In particular, we identify the relevant group cosets that parametrise the vacuum solutions of AdS x S type.
We review a construction, using the harmonic space method, of solutions to the superfield equations of motion for N-extended self-dual supergravity theories. A superspace gauge condition suitable for the performance of a component analysis is discussed.
We show that the recently found covariant formulation for chiral $p$--forms in $2(p+1)$ dimensions with $p$ even, can be naturally extended to supersymmetric theories. We present the general method for writing covariant actions for chiral bosons and construct, in particular, in six dimensions covariant actions for one tensor supermultiplet, for pure supergravity and for supergravity coupled to an arbitrary number of tensor supermultiplets.
This article contains an overview of some recent attempts at understanding supergravity and string duals of four dimensional gauge theories using the AdS/CFT correspondence. We discuss the general philosophy underlying the various ways to realize Super Yang-Mills theories in terms of systems of branes. We then review some of the existing duals for N=2 and N=1 theories. We also discuss differences and similarities with realistic theories.
We consider two-dimensional supergravity theories with four supercharges constructed from compactification of Type II string theory on a generic Calabi-Yau four-fold. In Type IIA and Type IIB cases, respectively, new superspace formulations of N=(2,2) and N=(0,4) dilaton supergravities are found and their coupling to matter multiplets is discussed.
We revisit Weyl invariance of string theories in generalized supergravity backgrounds. In the previous work arXiv:1703.09213, a possible counterterm was constructed, but it seems to be a point of controversy in some literatures whether it is non-local or not. To settle down this issue, we show that the counterterm may be local and exactly cancels out the one-loop trace anomaly in generalized supergravity backgrounds.
We give a short account of the recently constructed N=2 D=6 matter coupled supergravity based on the F(4) exceptional supergroup and of its 5D superconformal theory correspondent.
We consider D3 branes world-volume theories substaining $N=1,2$ superconformal field theories. Under the assumption that these theories are dual to $N=2,4$ supergravities in $AdS_5$, we explore the general structure of the latter and discuss some issues when comparing the bulk theory to the boundary singleton theory.
In this note we discuss the classification of duality orbits of N = 8 gauged supergravity models. Using tensor classifiers, we show that there is a one-parameter family of inequivalent SO(8) gauged supergravity theories. We briefly discuss the couplings of such models and show that, although the maximally symmetric vacuum has the same quadratic spectrum, the supersymmetry transformations, the couplings and the scalar potential are parameter dependent. We also comment on the possible M-theory uplift and on the meaning of the parameter for the dual gauge theories.
Starting from the new minimal multiplet of supergravity in $2+2$ dimensions, we construct two types of self-dual supergravity theories. One of them involves a self-duality condition on the Riemann curvature and implies the equations of motion following from the Hilbert-Einstein type supergravity action. The other one involves a self-duality condition on a {\it torsionful} Riemann curvature with the torsion given by the field-strength of an antisymmetric tensor field, and implies the equations of motion that follow from an $R^2$-type action.
We obtain a bosonization prescription that allows to represent the energy-momentum tensor and supersymmetry generators of non-critical superstring theories with minimal matter as those of topological supergravity. Superstrings with $N=1$ and $N=2$ world-sheet supersymmetry are considered. The topological symmetry associated with the topological supergravity representation is studied. It is shown, in particular, that the compatibility of this topological structure with the supersymmetry enhances the superconformal symmetry of the models concerned.
In this paper time dependent solutions of supergravities with dilaton and arbitrary rank antisymmetric tensor field are found. Although the solutions are nonsupersymmetric the equations of motions can be integrated in a simple form. Such supergravity solutions are related to Euclidean or spacelike branes (S-branes).
We study six-dimensional N=(1,0) supergravity theories with abelian, as well as non-abelian, gauge group factors. We show that for theories with fewer than nine tensor multiplets, the number of possible combinations of gauge groups - including abelian factors - and non-abelian matter representations is finite. We also identify infinite families of theories with distinct U(1) charges that cannot be ruled out using known quantum consistency conditions, though only a finite subset of these can arise from known string constructions.
We construct dual supergravity descriptions of field theories and little string theories with light-like non-commutativity. The field theories are realized on the world-volume of Dp branes with light-like NS $B$ field and M5 branes with light-like $C$ field. The little string theories are realized on the world-volume of NS5 branes with light-like RR $A$ fields. The supergravity backgrounds are closely related to the $A=0,B=0,C=0$ backgrounds. We discuss the implications of these results. We also construct dual supergravity descriptions of ODp theories realized on the worldvolume of NS5 branes …
In this note we construct a new class of superconformal field theories as mass deformed N=4 super Yang-Mills theories. We will argue that these theories correspond to the fixed points which were recently found by Khavaev, Pilch and Warner studying the deformations of the dual IIB string theory on AdS_5\times S^5.
We consider field theories with sixteen supersymmetries, which includes U(N) Yang-Mills theories in various dimensions, and argue that their large N limit is related to certain supergravity solutions. We study this by considering a system of D-branes in string theory and then taking a limit where the brane worldvolume theory decouples from gravity. At the same time we study the corresponding D-brane supergravity solution and argue that we can trust it in certain regions where the curvature (and the effective string coupling, where appropriate) are small. The supergravity solutions typically ha…
For general off-shell N=2 supergravity-matter systems in three spacetime dimensions, a formalism is developed to reduce the corresponding actions from superspace to components. The component actions are explicitly computed in the cases of Type I and Type II minimal supergravity formulations. We describe the models for topologically massive supergravity which correspond to all the known off-shell formulations for three-dimensional N=2 supergravity. We also present a universal setting to construct supersymmetric backgrounds associated with these off-shell supergravities.
We construct supergravity solutions for Dp-branes at orbifold points. The solutions are written in terms of a single function, which is the solution to a nonlinear differential equation. The near horizon limits of these solutions are dual, in the AdS/CFT sense, to super-Yang-Mills theories with 8 supercharges in various dimensions. In particular, we present a dual to N=2 SU(N) SYM theory in 3+1 dimensions, and analyse some aspects of the duality.
In the first part of this letter, we analyse the supergravity dual descriptions of six-dimensional field theories realized on the worldvolume of (p,q) five-branes (OD5 theory). We show that in order for the low-energy gauge theory description to be valid the theta parameter must be rational. Irrational values of theta require a strongly coupled string description of the system at low-energy. We discuss the phase structure and deduce some properties of these theories. In the second part we construct and study the supergravity description of NS5-branes with two electric RR field, which provides …
We give an update on recent results about the matching between CFT operators and KK states in the AdS/CFT correspondence, and add some new comments on the realization of the baryonic symmetries from the supergravity point of view.
The four six-dimensional ``little string'' theories are all described in the infinite momentum frame (IMF) as matrix theories by non-trivial 1+1 dimensional infra-red fixed points. We characterize these fixed points using supergravity. Starting from the matrix theory definition of M5-branes, we derive an associated dual supergravity description of the fixed point theories, arising as the near horizon geometry of certain brane configurations. These supergravity solutions are all smooth, and involve three dimensional Anti-de Sitter space AdS_3. They therefore provide a complete description of th…
We derive the glueball masses in noncommutative super Yang--Mills theories in four dimensions via the dual supergravity description. The spectrum of glueball masses is discrete due to the noncommutativity and the glueball masses are proportional to the noncommutativity parameter with dimension of length. The mass spectrum in the WKB approximation closely agrees with the mass spectrum in finite temperature Yang--Mills theory.
We study maximally supersymmetric solutions of all gauged or deformed supergravity theories in $D \ge 3$ space-time dimensions. For vanishing background fluxes the space-time background has to be either Minkowski or anti-de Sitter. We derive a simple criterion for the existence of solutions with non-trivial fluxes and determine all supergravities that satisfy it. We show that their solutions coincide with those of the corresponding ungauged theories and conclude that the known list of maximally supersymmetric solutions is exhaustive.
Maldacena's duality between conformal field theories and supergravity is applied to some conformal invariant models with 8 supercharges appearing in the F-theory moduli space on a locus of constant coupling. This includes Sp(2N) gauge theories describing the worldvolume dynamics of D3-branes in the presence of D7-branes and an orientifold plane. Other examples of this kind are models with exceptional global symmetries which have no perturbative field theory description. In all these cases the duality is used to describe perturbations by primary marginal and relevant operators.
We study the SO(4)-symmetric solution of the five-dimensional SU(2) x U(1) gauged N=4 supergravity theory obtained in [hep-th/0101202]. This solution contains purely magnetic non-Abelian and electric Abelian fields. It can be interpreted as a reduction of seven-dimensional gauged supergravity on a torus, which comes from type IIB supergravity on S^3. We also show how to obtain that solution from six-dimensional Romans' theory on a circle. We then up-lift the solution to massless type IIA supergravity. The dual gauge field theory is twisted and is defined on the worldvolume of a NS-fivebrane wr…
The dualised formulation of the symmetric space sigma model is peformed for a general scalar coset G/K where G is a maximally non-compact group and K is it's maximal compact subgroup.By using the twisted self-duality condition the general form of the first-order equations are obtained.The results are applied to the example of SL(2,R)/SO(2) scalar manifold of the IIB supergravity.
A lot of developments made during the last years show that Kac-Moody algebras play an important role in the algebraic structure of some supergravity theories. These algebras would generate infinite-dimensional symmetry groups. The possible existence of such symmetries have motivated the reformulation of these theories as non-linear sigma-models based on the Kac-Moody symmetry groups. Such models are constructed in terms of an infinite number of fields parametrizing the generators of the corresponding algebra. If these conjectured symmetries are indeed actual symmetries of certain supergravity …
We construct supergravity theories in twelve and thirteen dimensions with the respective signatures (10,2) and (11,2) with some technical details. Starting with N=1 supergravity in 10+2 dimensions coupled to Green-Schwarz superstring, we give N=2 chiral supergravity in 10+2 dimensions with its couplings to super (2+2)-brane. We also build an N=1 supergravity in 11+2 dimensions, coupled to supermembrane. All of these formulations utilize scalar (super)fields intact under supersymmetry, replacing the null-vectors introduced in their original formulations. This method makes all the equations SO(1…
We show that IIA supergravity can be extended with two independent 10-form potentials. These give rise to a single BPS IIA 9-brane. We investigate the bosonic gauge algebra of both IIA and IIB supergravity in the presence of 10-form potentials and point out an intriguing relation with the symmetry algebra $E_{11}$, which has been conjectured to be the underlying symmetry of string theory/M-theory.
We show that three-dimensional supergravity amplitudes can be obtained as double copies of either three-algebra super-Chern-Simons matter theory or that of two-algebra super-Yang-Mills theory, when either theory is organized to display the color-kinematics duality. We prove that only helicity-conserving four-dimensional gravity amplitudes have nonvanishing descendants when reduced to three dimensions; implying the vanishing of odd-multiplicity S-matrix elements, in agreement with Chern-Simons matter theory. We explicitly verify the double-copy correspondence at four and six points for N=12,10,…
All anomaly candidates and the form of the most general invariant local action are given for old and new minimal supergravity, including the cases where additional Yang--Mills and chiral matter multiplets are present. Furthermore nonminimal supergravity is discussed. In this case local supersymmetry itself may be anomalous and some of the corresponding anomaly candidates are given explicitly. The results are obtained by solving the descent equations which contain the consistency equation satisfied by integrands of anomalies and invariant actions.
We perform a generalized dimensional reduction of six dimensional supergravity theories to five dimensions. We consider the minimal $(2,0)$ and the maximal $(4,4)$ theories. In each case the reduction allows us to obtain gauged supergravities of no-scale type in dimension five with gauge groups that escape previous classifications. In the minimal case, the geometric data of the reduced theory correspond to particular cases of the D=5 real special geometry. In the maximal case we find a four parameter solution which allows partial breaking of supersymmetry.
We study monotonicity and other properties of the canonical c-function (defined through the correlator of the energy-momentum tensor) in some holographic duals of 4-d quantum field theories. The canonical c-function and its derivatives are related to the 5-d Green's function of the dual supergravity theory. While positivity of the canonical c-function is obvious, we have not found a general proof of its monotonicity, even though c is monotonic in the few explicit examples we examine in this paper.
We study holographic dual descriptions of very special conformal field theories with the T(2) symmetry. After constructing solutions in effective five dimensional Einstein gravity coupled with massive two-form fields, we uplift them to the ten dimensional type IIB supergravity, via a consistent truncation ansatz, to derive new analytical solutions in string theory. From the Kaluza-Klein ansatz in terms of the internal Sasaki-Einstein space, we obtain their field theory interpretation with concrete realizations in a large class of holographic $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric conformal field theor…
Motivated by recent discussions, we revisit the issue of whether globally supersymmetric theories with non-zero Fayet-Iliopoulos terms may be consistently coupled to supergravity. In particular, we examine claims that a fundamental inconsistency arises due to the conflicting requirements which are imposed on the $R$-symmetry properties of the theory by the supergravity framework. We also prove that certain kinds of Fayet-Iliopoulos contributions to the supercurrent supermultiplets of theories with non-zero Fayet-Iliopoulos terms fail to exist. A key feature of our discussion is an explicit com…
The use in the action integral of a volume element of the form $Φd^{D}x$, where $Φ$ is a metric-independent measure density, can yield new interesting results in all types of known generally coordinate-invariant theories: (1) 4-D theories of gravity plus matter fields; (2) reparametrization invariant theories of extended objects (strings and branes); (3) supergravity theories. In case (1) we obtain interesting insights concerning the cosmological constant problem, inflation and quintessence without the fifth force problem. In case (2) the above formalism leads to dynamically induced tension an…
We consider systems of Dp branes in the presence of a nonzero B field. We study the corresponding supergravity solutions in the limit where the branes worldvolume theories decouple from gravity. These provide dual descriptions of large N noncommutative field theories. We analyse the phase structure of the theories and the validity of the different description. We provide evidence that in the presence of a nonzero B field the worldvolume theory of D6 branes decouples from gravity. We analyse the systems of M5 branes and NS5 branes in the presence of a nonzero C field and nonzero RR fields, resp…
We present a central extension of the $(m,n)$ super-Poincaré algebra in two dimensions. Besides the usual Poincaré generators and the $(m,n)$ supersymmetry generators we have $(m,n)$ Grassmann generators, a bosonic internal symmetry generator and a central charge. We then build up the topological gauge theory associated to this algebra. We can solve the classical field equations for the fields which do not belong to the supergravity multiplet and to a Lagrange multiplier multiplet. The resulting topological supergravity theory turns out to be non-local in the fermionic sector.
We analyze the anomaly constraints on 6D supergravity theories with a single abelian U(1) gauge factor. For theories with charges restricted to $q = \pm1, \pm2$ and no tensor multiplets, anomaly-free models match those models that can be realized from F-theory compactifications almost perfectly. For theories with tensor multiplets or with larger charges, the F-theory constraints are less well understood. We show, however, that there is an infinite class of distinct massless charge spectra in the "swampland" of theories that satisfy all known quantum consistency conditions but do not admit a re…
We study an algebraic structure of magical supergravities in three dimensions. We show that if the commutation relations among the generators of the quasi-conformal group in the super-Ehlers decomposition are in a particular form, then one can always find a parameterization of the group element in terms of various 3d bosonic fields that reproduces the 3d reduced Lagrangian of the corresponding magical supergravity. This provides a unified treatment of all the magical supergravity theories in finding explicit relations between the 3d dimensionally reduced Lagrangians and particular coset nonlin…
We review the current status of the construction of unitary representations of U-duality groups of supergravity theories in five, four and three dimensions. We focus mainly on the maximal supergravity theories and on the N=2 Maxwell-Einstein supergravity (MESGT) theories defined by Jordan algebras of degree three in five dimensions and their descendants in four and three dimensions. Entropies of the extremal black hole solutions of these theories in five and four dimensions are given by certain invariants of their U-duality groups. The five dimensional U-duality groups admit extensions to spec…
In the first part of this paper we find supergravity solutions corresponding to branes on worldvolumes of the form $R^d \times Σ$ where $Σ$ is a Riemann surface. These theories arise when we wrap branes on holomorphic Riemann surfaces inside $K3$ or CY manifolds. In some cases the theory at low energies is a conformal field theory with two less dimensions. We find some non-singular supersymmetric compactifications of M-theory down to $AdS_5$. We also propose a criterion for permissible singularities in supergravity solutions. In the second part of this paper, which can be read independently of…
We present new supergravity backgrounds generated by N_c D5-branes, wrapping the S^2 of the resolved conifold, in the presence of N_f = 2 N_c smeared flavor D5-branes. The smearing allows us to take their backreaction on the geometry into account. We discuss the consistency, stability, and supersymmetry of these types of setups. We find near horizon geometries that we expect to be supergravity duals of SQCD-like theories with N_f= 2N_c. From these backgrounds we numerically extract rectangular Wilson loops and beta functions of the dual field theory for the regime where our approximations are …
We construct the Green-Schwarz terms of six-dimensional supergravity theories on spacetimes with non-trivial topology and gauge bundle. We prove the cancellation of all global gauge and gravitational anomalies for theories with gauge groups given by products of $U(n)$, $SU(n)$ and $Sp(n)$ factors, as well as for $E_8$. For other gauge groups, anomaly cancellation is equivalent to the triviality of a certain 7-dimensional spin topological field theory. We show in the case of a finite Abelian gauge group that there are residual global anomalies imposing constraints on the 6d supergravity. These …
We investigate various aspects of higher-spin anti-de Sitter supergravity in three dimensions as described by Chern-Simons theory based on the finite-dimensional superalgebra sl(N |N - 1), with the particular case of N = 3 as our prime example. This class of theories serves as a natural supersymmetrization of the higher-spin gravity theory based on sl(N) Chern-Simons theories. We demonstrate explicitly that the asymptotic symmetry algebra contains the N = 2 superconformal algebra in each sector. The appropriate Killing spinor equations are derived and used to classify existing and new classica…
We readdress the question of whether any universal upper bound exists on the square mass m^2 of the lightest scalar around a supersymmetry breaking vacuum in generic N=2 gauged supergravity theories for a given gravitino mass m_3/2 and cosmological constant V. We review the known bounds which apply to theories with restricted matter content from a new perspective. We then extend these results to theories with both hyper and vector multiplets and a gauging involving only one generator, for which we show that such a bound exists for both V>0 and V<0. We finally argue that there is no bound for t…
The general non-split scalar coset of supergravity theories is discussed.The symmetric space sigma model is studied in two equivalent formulations and for different coset parametrizations.The dualisation and the local first order formulation is performed for the non-split scalar coset G/K when the rigid symmetry group G is a real form of a non-compact semisimple Lie group (not necessarily split) and the local symmetry group K is G's maximal compact subgroup.A comparison with the scalar cosets arising in the T^{10-D}-compactification of the heterotic string theory in ten dimensions is also ment…
We discuss explicit examples of BPS solutions in four-dimensional N=2 supergravity with R^2-interactions. We demonstrate how to construct solutions by iteration. Generically, the presence of higher-curvature interactions leads to non-static spacetime line elements. We comment on the existence of horizons for multi-centered solutions.
