We give a formulation of linearized minimal 5-dimensional supergravity in N = 1 superspace. Infinitesimal local 5D diffeomorphisms, local 5D Lorentz transformations, and local 5D supersymmetry are all realized as off-shell superfield transformations. Compactification on an S^1 / Z_2 orbifold and couplings to brane-localized supermultiplets are very simple in this formalism. We use this to show that 5-dimensional supergravity can naturally generate mu and B mu terms of the correct size in gaugino- or radion-mediated supersymmetry breaking. We also include a self-contained review of linearized minimal 4D supergravity in superspace.
We construct 5D, N = 1 supergravity in a 4D, N = 1 superspace with an extra bosonic coordinate. This represents four of the supersymmetries and the associated Poincaré symmetries manifestly. The remaining four supersymmetries and the rest of the Poincaré symmetries are represented linearly but not manifestly. In the linearized approximation, the action reduces to the known superspace result. As an application of the formalism, we construct the $\int A\wedge R\wedge R$ invariant in this superspace.
This paper describes a fully covariant approach to harmonic superspace. It is based on the conformal superspace description of conformal supergravity and involves extending the supermanifold M^{4|8} by the tangent bundle of CP^1. The resulting superspace M^{4|8} x TCP^1 can be identified in a certain gauge with the conventional harmonic superspace M^{4|8} x S^2. This approach not only makes the connection to projective superspace transparent, but simplifies calculations in harmonic superspace significantly by eliminating the need to deal directly with supergravity prepotentials. As an applicat…
This paper presents a detailed discussion of the issue of supergravity perturbations around the flat five dimensional superspace required for manifest superspace formulations of the supergravity side of the AdS_{5}/CFT_{4} Correspondence.
We give an introduction to rigid supersymmetry, supergravity and superspace by considering a quantum mechanical model. We analyze the constraints in superspace in this simplified model, and compare the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian BRST formalism.
In the framework of the prepotential description of superspace two-dimensional $(2,2)$ supergravity, we discuss the construction of invariant integrals. In addition to the full superspace measure, we derive the measure for chiral superspace, and obtain the explicit expressions for going from superspace actions to component actions. We consider both the minimal $U_A(1)$ and the extended $U_V(1) \otimes U_A(1)$ theories.
In these two lectures, delivered at the XXXVII Karpacz Winter School, February 2001, I review some applications of superspace in various topics related to string theory and M-theory. The first lecture is mainly devoted to descriptions of brane dynamics formulated in supergravity backgrounds. The second lecture concerns the use of superspace techniques for determining consistent interactions in supersymmetric gauge theory and supergravity, e.g. alpha'-corrections from string/M-theory.
We construct a generalized BF theory in superspace that can embed eleven-dimensional supergravity theory. Our topological BF theory can accommodate all the necessary Bianchi identities for teleparallel superspace supergravity in eleven-dimensions, as the simplest but nontrivial solutions to superfield equations for our superspace action. This indicates that our theory may have solutions other than eleven-dimensional supergravity, accommodating generalized theories of eleven-dimensional supergravity. Therefore our topological theory can be a good candidate for the low energy limit of M-theory, …
A short introduction to N = 1 supergravity in four dimensions in the superspace approach is given emphasising on all steps to obtain the final Lagrangian. In particular starting from geometrical principles and the introduction of superfields in curved superspace, the action coupling matter and gauge fields to supergravity is derived. This review is based on the book -A supergravity Primer: From geometrical principles to the Final Lagrangian- and on several lectures given at the doctoral school of Strasbourg.
A concise geometrical formulation of N=4 supergravity containing an antisymmetric tensor gauge field is given in central charge superspace: graviphotons are identified in the super-vielbein on the same footing as the vierbein and the Rarita-Schwinger fields. As a consequence of superspace soldering, Chern-Simons terms in the fieldstrength of the antisymmetric tensor arise as an intrinsic property of superspace with central charge coordinates.
We present a construction of the superspace of maximally supersymmetric adS_{p+2} x S^{d-p-2} near-horizon geometry based entirely on the supergravity constraints of which the bosonic space is a solution. Besides the geometric superfields, i.e. the vielbeine and the spinconnection, we also derive the isometries of the superspace together with the compensating tangent space transformations to all orders in anticommuting superspace coordinates.
Recent developments in string and M theory rely heavily on supersymmetry suggesting that a revival of superspace techniques in ten and eleven dimensions may be advantageous. Here we discuss three topics of current interest where superspace is already playing an important role and where an improved understanding of superspace might provide additional insight into the issues involved.
Utilizing a first-order perturbative superspace approach, we derive the bosonic equations of motion for the 10D, N = 1 supergravity fields. We give the Lagrangian corresponding to these equations derived from superspace geometry. Moreover, the equivalence of this Lagrangian to the first-order perturbative component level Lagrangian of anomaly-free supergravity is proven. Our treatment covers both the two-form and six-form formulations.
We review some recent results on the construction in superspace of 3D N=2 AdS supergravities and on the formulation of rigid supersymmetric theories in (1,1) and (2,0) AdS superspaces.
The coupling of matter to supergravity with $N=1$ supersymmetry in $d=4$ dimensions is described in a geometric manner by Kähler superspace. A straightforward way to implement Kähler superspace is via $\mathrm{U}(1)$ superspace by identifying the $\mathrm{U}(1)$ pre-potential with the Kähler potential, which is a function of the matter (chiral) superfields. In this framework, the components of the supergravity multiplet are contained in the supervielbein and torsion tensor of superspace. Furthermore, interactions with the Yang-Mills (vector) multiplet are formulated by introducing a connection…
In $D=4$, $\cal{N}=1$ conformal superspace, the Yang-Mills matter coupled supergravity system is constructed where the Yang-Mills gauge interaction is introduced by extending the superconformal group to include the Kähler isometry group of chiral matter fields. There are two gauge-fixing procedures to get to the component Poincaré supergravity: one via the superconformal component formalism and the other via the Poincaré superspace formalism. These two types of superconformal gauge-fixing conditions are analyzed in detail and their correspondence is clarified.
We show that Supergravity in eleven dimensions can be described in terms of a constrained superfield on the light-cone, without the use of auxiliary fields. We build its action to first order in the gravitational coupling constant κ, by "oxidizing" (N=8,d=4) Supergravity. This is simply achieved, as for N=4 Yang-Mills, by extending the transverse derivatives into superspace. The eleven-dimensional SuperPoincare algebra is constructed and a fourth order interaction is conjectured.
We extend the notion of central charge superspace to the case of local supersymmetry. Gauged central charge transformations are identified as diffeomorphisms at the same footing as space-time diffeomorphisms and local supersymmetry transformations. Given the general structure we then proceed to the description of a particular vector-tensor supergravity multiplet of 24+24 components, identified by means of rather radical constraints.
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 review some recent results obtained in studying superspace formulations of 2D N=(4,4) matter-coupled supergravity. For a superspace geometry described by the minimal supergravity multiplet, we first describe how to reduce to components the chiral integral by using ``ectoplasm'' superform techniques as in arXiv:0907.5264 and then we review the bi-projective superspace formalism introduced in arXiv:0911.2546. After that, we elaborate on the curved bi-projective formalism providing a new result: the solution of the covariant type-I twisted multiplet constraints in terms of a weight-(-1,-1) bi-…
The complete structure of curvature squared terms is analyzed in the context of chirally extended supergravity, with special emphasis on the gravitationally induced Fayet-Iliopoulos D--term. Coupling of (chiral) matter is discussed in relation with a possible extension to U(1) supergravity of the equivalence mechanism between $\cR+\al\cR^2$ and General Relativity coupled to a scalar.
The two-dimensional manifestly locally supersymmetric actions describing the N=2 and N=4 extended super-Liouville theory coupled to the N=2 and N=4 conformal supergravity, respectively, are constructed in superspace. It is shown that the N=4 super-Liouville multiplet is described by the improved twisted-II scalar multiplet TM-II, whose kinetic terms are given by the SU(2)xU(1) WZNW model.
We study counterterms (CT's), candidates for UV divergences in the four-dimensional N=8 supergravity. They have been constructed long ago in a Lorentz covariant on shell superspace and recently in the chiral light-cone (LC) superspace. We prove that all of these CT's are ruled out since they are not available in the real LC superspace. This implies the perturbative UV finiteness of d=4 N=8 supergravity under the assumption that supersymmetry and continuous E7 symmetry are anomaly-free. The proof, based on the chiral nature of CT's in the LC superspace, is a generalization of the perturbative F…
We present a superspace formulation of N=1 eleven-dimensional supergravity with no manifest local Lorentz covariance, which we call teleparallel superspace. This formulation will be of great importance, when we deal with other supergravity theories in dimensions higher than eleven dimensions, or a possible formulation of noncommutative supergravity. As an illustrative example, we apply our teleparallel superspace formulation to the case of N=1 supergravity in twelve-dimensions. We also show the advantage of teleparallel superspace as backgrounds for supermembrane action.
We present aspects of the component description of linearized Nordstr\" om Supergravity in eleven and ten dimensions. The presentation includes low order component fields in the supermultiplet, the supersymmetry variations of the scalar graviton and gravitino trace, their supercovariantized field strengths, and the supersymmetry commutator algebra of these theories.
The superspace formulation for four-dimensional N = 2 matter-coupled supergravity recently developed in arXiv:0805.4683 makes use of a new type of conformal compensator with infinitely many off-shell degrees of freedom: the so-called covariant weight-one polar hypermultiplet. In the present note we prove the duality of this formulation to the known minimal (40+40) off-shell realization for N = 2 Poincare supergravity involving the improved tensor compensator. Within the latter formulation, we present new off-shell matter couplings realized in terms of covariant weight-zero polar hypermultiplet…
The superspace formulation of N=1 conformal supergravity in four dimensions is demonstrated to be equivalent to the conventional component field approach based on the superconformal tensor calculus. The detailed correspondence between two approaches is explicitly given for various quantities; superconformal gauge fields, curvatures and curvature constraints, general conformal multiplets and their transformation laws, and so on. In particular, we carefully analyze the curvature constraints leading to the superconformal algebra and also the superconformal gauge fixing leading to Poincare supergr…
We present a geometrical description of N=8 supergravity, using central charge superspace. The essential properties of the multiplet, like self-duality properties of the vectors or the non-linear sigma model structure of the scalars, are found as consequences of constraints at 0 and 1/2 canonical dimension. We also present in detail how to derive from this geometrical formulation the supergravity transformations as well as the whole equations of motion for the component fields in order to compare them with the results already known and obtained in formulations on the component level.
The projective superspace formulation for four-dimensional N = 2 matter-coupled supergravity presented in arXiv:0805.4683 makes use of the variant superspace realization for the N = 2 Weyl multiplet in which the structure group is SL(2,C) x SU(2) and the super-Weyl transformations are generated by a covariantly chiral parameter. An extension to Howe's realization of N = 2 conformal supergravity in which the tangent space group is SL(2,C) x U(2) and the super-Weyl transformations are generated by a real unconstrained parameter was briefly sketched. Here we give the explicit details of the exten…
This paper presents a projective superspace formulation for 4D N = 2 matter-coupled supergravity. We first describe a variant superspace realization for the N = 2 Weyl multiplet. It differs from that proposed by Howe in 1982 by the choice of the structure group (SO(3,1) x SU(2) versus SO(3,1) x U(2)), which implies that the super-Weyl transformations are generated by a covariantly chiral parameter instead of a real unconstrained one. We introduce various off-shell supermultiplets which are curved superspace analogues of the superconformal projective multiplets in global supersymmetry and which…
We present the description in central charge superspace of N=4 supergravity with antisymmetric tensor coupled to an arbitrary number of abelian vector multiplets. All the gauge vectors of the coupled system are treated on the same footing as gauge fields corresponding to translations along additional bosonic coordinates. It is the geometry of the antisymmetric tensor which singles out which combinations of these vectors belong to the supergravity multiplet and which are the additional coupled ones. Moreover, basic properties of Chapline-Manton coupling mechanism, as well as the SO(6,n)/SO(6)*S…
The dual version of the D=10 N=1 supergravity (SUGRA) is considered in the superspace approach. The superstring (anomaly compensating) corrections are described by the 3-form superfield $A_{abc}$ . The complete set of dynamical equations for the $A$-field and for physical fields of the theory are presented. The solution of the $A$-field equations as a finite order polynomial in terms of curvature and graviphoton superfields is given. It makes possible to incorporate some of the superstring corrections in the dual supergravity in the explicit, supersymmetric and closed form.
We consider the geometrical formulation in central charge superspace of the N=4 supergravity containing an antisymmetric tensor gauge field. The theory is on-shell, so clearly, the constraints used for the identification of the multiplet together with the superspace Bianchi identities imply equations of motion for the component fields. We deduce these equations of motion in terms of supercovariant quantities and then, we give them in terms of component fields. These equations of motion, deduced from the geometry, without supposing the existence of a Lagrangian, are found to be the same as thos…
Building on a previous derivation of the local chiral projector for a two dimensional superspace with eight real supercharges, we provide the complete density projection formula required for locally supersymmetrical theories in this context. The derivation of this result is shown to be very efficient using techniques based on the Ectoplasmic construction of local measures in superspace.
The equations of motion (e.m.'s) of the N=1, D=10 anomaly free supergravity, obtained in the framework of the superspace approach, are analyzed. The formal equivalence of the usual and dual supergravities is discussed at the level of e.m.'s. The great simplicity of the dual formulation is established. The possibillity of the lagrangian formulation of the dual supergravity is pointed out. The bosonic part of the lagrangian is constructed including anomaly compensating superstring corrections.
The N-extended self-dual supergravity in the ultra-hyperbolic four-dimensional spacetime of kleinian signature (2+2) is given in the N-extended harmonic superspace. We reformulate the on-shell N-extended self-dual supergravity constraints of Siegel to a `zero-curvature' representation, and solve all of them but one in terms of a single superfield prepotential, by using a covariant Frobenius gauge in the Devchand-Ogievetsky approach. An off-shell superspace action, whose equation of motion yields the remaining constraint, is found. Our manifestly Lorentz-covariant action in harmonic superspace …
This paper is a companion to our earlier work arXiv:0710.3440 in which the projective superspace formulation for matter-coupled simple supergravity in five dimensions was presented. For the minimal multiplet of 5D N=1 supergravity introduced by Howe in 1981, we give a complete solution of the Bianchi identities. The geometry of curved superspace is shown to allow the existence of a large family of off-shell supermultiplets that can be used to describe supersymmetric matter, including vector multiplets and hypermultiplets. We formulate a manifestly locally supersymmetric action principle. Its n…
We propose a new superspace formulation for N=(4,4) conformal supergravity in two dimensions. This is based on a geometry where the structure group of the curved superspace is chosen to be SO(1,1) x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R. The off-shell supergravity multiplet possesses super-Weyl transformations generated by an unconstrained real scalar superfield. The new supergravity formulation turns out to be an extension of the minimal multiplet introduced in 1988 by Gates et. al. and it allows the existence of various off-shell matter supermultiplets. Covariant twisted-II and twisted-I multiplets respectively…
We give a formulation of linearized 11D supergravity in 4D, $N=1$ superspace keeping all eleven bosonic coordinates. The fields are fluctuations around $\mathbf M=\mathbf R^{4|4}\times Y$, where $Y$ is a background Riemannian 7-manifold admitting a $G_2$ structure. We embed the 11D fields into superfield representations of the 4D, $N=1$ superconformal algebra. These consist of the conformal graviton superfield, seven conformal gravitino superfields, a tensor hierarchy of superfields describing the 11D 3-form, and a non-abelian Kaluza-Klein vector multiplet gauging the tensor hierarchy by diffe…
We derive the equations of motion of type II 4D supergravity in superspace. This is achieved by coupling the Type II Berkovits' hybrid superstring to an N=2 curved background and requiring that the sigma-model has N=(2,2) superconformal invariance at one loop. We show that there are no anomalies in the fermionic OPE's and the complete set of compensator's equations is derived from the energy-momentum tensor. The equations of motion describe a hypertensorial and vectorial multiplet coupled to a U(1)\times U(1) N=2 Poincarè Supergravity.
This contribution begins the study of the complete superfield Lagrangian description of the interacting system of D=4 N=1 supergravity (SUGRA) and supermembrane. Firstly, we review a 'three form supergravity' by Ovrut and Waldram, which we prefer to call 'special minimal supergravity'. This off-shell formulation of simple SUGRA is appropriate for our purposes as the supermembrane action contains the so-called Wess-Zumino term given by the integral over a three form potential in superspace, C3. We describe this formulation in the frame of Wess--Zumino superfield approach, showing how the basic …
The superspace formalism for $\mathcal{N}=1$ supergravity in four dimensions is a powerful geometric setting to engineer off-shell supergravity-matter theories, including higher-derivative couplings. This review provides a unified description of the three superspace approaches to $\mathcal{N}=1$ conformal supergravity: (i) conformal superspace; (ii) $\mathsf{U}(1)$ superspace; and (iii) the Grimm-Wess-Zumino formalism. The prepotential formulation for the latter is discussed. We briefly describe the known off-shell formulations for Poincaré and anti-de Sitter supergravity theories as conformal…
We present a new formulation for N=1, D=10 supergravity in superspace, in presence of a Lorentz Chern-Simons-form. This formulation entails the following properties: it furnishes a solution of the Bianchi identities that is algebraically consistent to all orders in alpha'; at first order it is the simplest formulation proposed so far, and it is therefore most suitable for an explicit higher order analysis; it allows a well defined perturbative expansion in alpha', in which no poltergeist fields appear; it reconciles the two different classes of first order solutions available in the literature…
For extended $\mathcal{N}\leq 8$ supersymmetry we classify all possible gauge groups for a scalar multiplet allowed by the algebras of global and local supersymmetry in three dimensions. A detailed discussion of supersymmetry enhancement is included. For the corresponding topologically massive gravity with negative cosmological constant the mass of the graviton is determined algebraically as a function of $\mathcal{N}$ and the possible gauge couplings.
Projective superspace provides a natural framework for the construction of actions coupling hypermultiplets to conformal supergravity. We review how the off-shell actions are formulated in superspace and then discuss how to eliminate the infinite number of auxiliary fields to produce an on-shell N=2 supersymmetric sigma model, with the target space corresponding to a generic 4n-dimensional hyperkahler cone. We show how the component action coupling the hypermultiplets to conformal supergravity may be constructed starting from curved superspace. The superspace origin of the geometric data -- th…
As the full off-shell theories of supergravity in the important dimensions of eleven and ten dimensions are currently unknown, we introduce a superfield formalism as a foundation and experimental laboratory to explore the possibility that the scalar versions of the higher dimensional supergravitation theory can be constructed.
We discuss the rôle of enlarged superspaces in two seemingly different contexts, the structure of the $p$-brane actions and that of the Cremmer-Julia-Scherk eleven-dimensional supergravity. Both provide examples of a common principle: the existence of an {\it enlarged superspaces coordinates/fields correspondence} by which all the (worldvolume or spacetime) fields of the theory are associated to coordinates of enlarged superspaces. In the context of $p$-branes, enlarged superspaces may be used to construct manifestly supersymmetry-invariant Wess-Zumino terms and as a way of expressing the Born…
We discuss membranes in four-dimensional N=1 superspace. The kappa-invariance of the Green-Schwarz action implies that there is a dual version of N=1 supergravity with a three-form potential. We formulate this new supergravity in terms of a three-form superfield in curved superspace, giving the relevant constraints on the field strength. We find the corresponding membrane soliton in the new supergravity and discuss how the extended supersymmetry algebra emerges from the symmetries of the flat superspace background.
We formulate four-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models in N=1 superspace. We show how to add superpotentials consistent with N=2 supersymmetry. We lift our construction to higher-dimensional spacetime and write five-dimensional nonlinear sigma models in N=1 superspace.
In relation to the superspace modifications of 11D supergeometry required to describe the M-theory low-energy effective action, we present an analysis of infinitesimal supergravity fluctuations about the flat superspace limit. Our investigation confirms Howe's interpretation of our previous Bianchi identity analysis. However, the analysis also shows that should 11D supergravity obey the rules of other off-shell supergravity theories, the complete M-theory corrections will necessarily excite our previously anticipated spin-1/2 engineering dimension-1/2 spinor auxiliary multiplet superfield. The…
Supersymmetric integrands for the two-loop five-point amplitudes in ten-dimensional super Yang--Mills and type II supergravity are proposed. The kinematic numerators are manifestly local and satisfy the duality between color and kinematics described by Bern, Carrasco and Johansson. Our results are expected to reproduce the integrated two-loop amplitudes in dimensions $D<7$. The UV divergence in the critical dimension $D=7$ matches the low-energy limit of the corresponding superstring amplitudes and is written in terms of SYM tree amplitudes.
We work out the basics of conformal $N=(4,4)$, 2D supergravity in the $N=(4,4)$, 2D analytic harmonic superspace with two independent sets of harmonic variables. We define the relevant most general analytic superspace diffeomorphism group and show that in the flat limit it goes over into the ``large'' $N=(4,4)$, 2D superconformal group. The basic objects of the supergravity considered are analytic vielbeins covariantizing two analyticity-preserving harmonic derivatives. For self-consistency they should be constrained in a certain way. We solve the constraints and show that the remaining irredu…
We construct part of the superspace vielbein and tensor gauge field in terms of the component fields of 11-dimensional on-shell supergravity. The result can be utilized to describe supermembranes and corresponding matrix models for Dirichlet particles in nontrivial supergravity backgrounds to second order in anticommuting coordinates. We exhibit the kappa-invariance of the corresponding supermembrane action, which at this order holds for unrestricted supergravity backgrounds, the supersymmetry covariance and the resulting surface terms in the action.
Recent advances in curved N=2 superspace methods have rendered the component reduction of superspace actions more feasible than in the past. In this paper, we consider models involving both vector and tensor multiplets coupled to supergravity and demonstrate explicitly how component actions may be efficiently obtained. In addition, tensor multiplets coupled to conformal supergravity are considered directly within projective superspace, where their formulation is most natural. We then demonstrate how the inverse procedure -- the lifting of component results to superspace -- can simplify the ana…
We calculate all of vielbein superfields up to second order in anticommuting coordinates in terms of the component fields of 11-dimensional on-shell supergravity by using `Gauge completion'. This configuration of superspace holds the $κ$-symmetry for supermembrane Lagrangian and represents 11-dimensional on-shell supergravity.
