The standard model from a gauge theory in ten dimensions via CSDR

We present a gauge theory in ten dimensions based on the gauge group E₈ which is dimensionally reduced, according to the coset space dimensional reduction (CSDR) scheme, to the standard model SU_3c×SU_2L×U₁, which breaks further to SU_3c×U_1em. We use the coset space Sp₄/(SU₂×U₁)×Z₂. The model gives similar predictions for sin²θ_w and proton decay as the minimal SU₅ GUT. Natural choices of parameters suggest that the Higgs masses are as predicted by the Coleman-Weinberg radiative mechanism.     

N = 3 and N = 1 supersymmetry in a new class of solutions for d = 11 supergravity

We present a new class of compactifying solutions for d = 11 supergravity. The internal 7-spaces are described by coset manifolds N^pqr of the form SU(3) × U(1)/U(1) × U(1). The three integers p, q, r characterize the embedding of the stability subgroup U(1) × U(1) in SU(3) × U(1).Their supersymmetry content is quite remarkable. For a particular choice of p, q, r the isometry of N^pqr is SU(3) × SU(2): in this case we find that N = 3 supersymmetry survives. For all the other values of p, q, r, supersymmetry is broken to N = 1, and the isometry group is SU(3) × U(1).We also find a class of solutions with internal photon curl F_αβγδ ≠ 0, breaking all supersymmetries.     

Superunification from eleven dimensions

We show how N = 8 supersymmetry can break spontaneously to N = 1 at the Planck scale via a Kaluza-Klein compactification of d = 11 supergravity on the squashed seven-sphere. Features unique to Kaluza-Klein supergravity are (i) the massless gravitino of the N = 1 phase comes from a massiveN = 8 supermultiplet, (ii) the scalars developing nonzero VEVs also belong to massive N = 8 supermultiplets, (iii) parity remains unbroken when N = 8 breaks to N = 1.Next we ask whether the resulting N = 1 theory can provide a realistic SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1) unification and speculate that it might if some of the gauge bosons and fermions are composite as in the EGMZ model. In contrast to their model, however, we avoid unwanted helicities and problems with their non-compact E₇. Moreover, we suggest a scheme in which the electroweak SU(2) × U(1) is a subgroup of the d = 11 general coordinate group but that the strong SU(3) is a subgroup of the d = 11 local Lorentz group and are not, therefore, to be combined into a GUT. The special properties of the seven-sphere also suggest a possible solution of the cosmological constant problem involving fermion condensates.     

A nontrivial vacuum state in D = 10, N = 1 supergravity

We find a ground state of D = 10, N = 1 supergravity of the form (AdS(3) × R¹) × S³ × T³ which preserves all supersymmetries and should provide a gauged D = 4, N = 4 supergravity coupled to supermatter after dimensional reduction.     

Symmetries of coset spaces and Kaluza-Klein supergravity

Known theorems about the isometry group of a general coset space $\text{G}\text{H}$ are reviewed. The Killing vectors on $\text{G}\text{H}$ are explicitly constructed. Rescalings of the coset vielbeins are discussed, and a simple criterion to find which rescalings preserve the isometry group is given. A general expression for the Riemann and Ricci tensors in terms of the rescaled vielbeins and the group structure constants is derived. These results have useful applications in Kaluza-Klein theories. As an example, the round and the squashed seven-spheres that have been used to compactify d = 11 supergravity are discussed, and it is shown that they can be identified with two appropriately rescaled coset spaces $\text{SO(5)}\text{SO(3)}$.     

The criterion for vacuum stability in Kaluza-Klein supergravity

We prove that in the spectrum of the d = 4 theory obtained by Freund-Rubin compactification of d = 11 superconductivity, only fields of spin 0⁺ can give rise to classical instabilities. The criterion for stability in the 0⁺ sector can be expressed as a certain lower bound on the Lichnerowicz operator Δ_L on the d = 7 compact space. Thus not only are supersymmetric vacua always stable but so are the corresponding non-supersymmetric vacua obtained by reversing the orientation of the compact space, since the 0⁺ spectrum is insensitive to the orientation. Examples are the orientation-reversed spaces with N = 0 obtained from the squashed seven-sphere with N = 1 and from SU(3) ×SU(2) ×U(1) spaces with N = 2 supersymmetry. Product spaces, on the other hand, are always unstable. Finally, we examine the massless sectors of the squashed seven-sphere vacua, and find an additional 135 massless scalars.     

N = 4 supergravity coupled to N = 4 matter and hidden symmetries

We present the N = 1 supergravity in 10 dimensions obtained by truncating the reduced N = 1 supergravity from 11 dimensions. This is further reduced to 4 dimensions to give SU(4) supergravity coupled to six SO(4) vector multiplets. As the reduction is from 10 dimensions, the theory is expected to have the symmetry SL(6R)_global×SO(6)_local, but we give a theoretical argument that this can be extended to SO(6,6)×SU(1,1)_global and SO(6)×SO(6)×U(1)_local.     

N = 2, D = 10 non-chiral supergravity and its spontaneous compactification

The non-chiral N = 2, D = 10 supergravity theory is constructed using dimensional reduction from N = 1, D = 11 supergravity. It is shown that this theory may spontaneously compactify, yielding S⁴ × S², CP² × S² and S² × S² × S² spaces for the extra dimensions.     

Cosmological solutions with Calabi-Yau compactification

Assuming a Calabi-Yau compactification, cosmological solutions are presented in ten-dimensional, N=1 Yang-Mills supergravity theory with the curvature squared term (R²_μνϱσ −4R_μν² + R²). In a vacuum state, Kasner-type soluti ons exist as well as (four-dimensional Minkoswki space-time)×(a Calabi-Yau space). In the later stage of the universe the (four-dimensional Friedmann universe)×(a constant Calabi-Yau space) is realized asymptotically like an attractor. This solution is asymptotically stable against small perturbations.     

Grand unification with local supersymmetry

We study general conditions for obtaining spontaneous breaking of local supersymmetry in N = 1 supergravity coupled to supersymmetric matter. We consider in particular the coupling of N = 1 supergravity to grand unified theories like SU(5) and study the conditions which must be met in order to obtain a realistic model. Specific models are built in which local supersymmetry is broken at a scale √M_Wm_p ～ 10¹⁰ GeV. This breaking of supersymmetry is only detected at low energies through soft terms breaking explicitly the global supersymmetry. These soft terms (scalar masses, gaugino masses and trilinear scalar couplings) are renormalized at low energies according to the renormalization group. The (mass)² of the Higgs doublet evolve towards negative values at low energies giving rise to SU(2) × U(1) breaking as a radiative effect of local supersymmetry breaking. We finally point out the possible relevance of non-renormalizable superpotentials for the problem of fermion masses.     

Resurrecting no-scale supergravity phenomenology

In the context of phenomenological models in which the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters of the MSSM become universal at some unification scale, M _in, above the GUT scale, M _GUT, it is possible that all the scalar mass parameters m ₀, the trilinear couplings A ₀ and the bilinear Higgs coupling B ₀ vanish simultaneously, as in no-scale supergravity. Using these no-scale inputs in a renormalisation-group analysis of the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) GUT model, we pay careful attention to the matching of parameters at the GUT scale. We delineate the region of M _in, m _1/2 and tan?β where the resurrection of no-scale supergravity is possible, taking due account of the relevant phenomenological constraints such as electroweak symmetry breaking, m _h ,b→s γ, the neutralino cold dark matter density Ω _χ h ² and g _μ ?2. No-scale supergravity survives in an L-shaped strip of parameter space, with one side having m _1/2?200 GeV, the second (orthogonal) side having M _in?5×10¹⁶ GeV. Depending on the relative signs and magnitudes of the GUT superpotential couplings, these may be connected to form a triangle whose third side is a hypotenuse at larger M _in, m _1/2 and tan?β, whose presence and location depend on the GUT superpotential parameters. We compare the prospects for detecting sparticles at the LHC in no-scale supergravity with those in the CMSSM and the NUHM.     

Algebraic approach to supergravity in superspace

The methods of algebraic geometry are used to construct supergravity theories in a homogeneous superspace OSp(N|4) with structure group Sl(2C) ? O_N and base supermanifold the coset space OSp(N|4)/(Sl(2C)? O_N). The nature and origin of the supersymmetry transformations is completely elucidated. The equations of motion for O₁ and O₂ supergravity are obtained, as the realization of this symmetry on the space-time components h_μ of the “supervierbein”.     

Superstring compactification on homogeneous coset spaces with torsion

Compactifications of the heterotic string on M⁴×K are investigated, where M⁴ is four- Minkowski spacetime and K is a six-dimensional compact coset manifold with torsion. The β-functions of the underlying two-dimensional nonlinear σ-model, as well as the central charge of the Virasoro algebra, are argued to vanish for K=SU(3)/U(1)×U(1) and G₂/SU(3) with a particular choice of torsion and radius of the manifold. These two coset spaces may provide therefore a perturbative solution of the classical string field equations.     

A grand unified theory based onSU(n, 1)-minimal supergravity

We discuss a grand unified theory in the framework ofSU(n, 1) minimal supergravity with the Planck mass as the only input mass scale.M _W ≈m _3/2 is fixed by radiative corrections to be naturally ?M _P1. Due to the particular form of explicit soft supersymmetry breaking a light singlet can be used to obtain naturally light Higgs doublets and for a new mechanism for radiativeSU (2)×U(1) breaking. The low energy particle spectrum is very restricted withm _3/2≈10⁴ GeV.     

New compactifications of Chiral N = 2, d = 10 supergravity

We present a number of new compactifying solutions of chiral N = 2 ten-dimensional supergravity to five dimensions. Several are of the standard Freund-Rubin type; we give a complete classification of such compactifications for which the internal space M⁵ is a coset manifold. In another type of solution M⁵ is a non-Einstein U(1) bundle over a four-dimensional Kähler space, and the complex three-index field strength is nonvanishing in the internal directions. The latter construction gives a solution with SU(3) symmetry when M⁵ is taken to be a stretched five-sphere.     

On dimensional reduction of gauge theories: Symmetric fields and harmonic expansion

We compare the four-dimensional symmetric fields obtained by the coset space dimensional reduction scheme to the infinite tower of fields given by the harmonic expansion in a 4+N dimensional gauge theory coupled to fermions on a space-timeM ⁴ ×S/R.     

Bosonic construction of the Lie algebras of some non-compact groups appearing in supergravity theories and their oscillator-like unitary representations

We give a construction of the Lie algebras of the non-compact groups appearing in four dimensional supergravity theories in terms of boson operators. Our construction parallels very closely their emergence in supergravity and is an extension of the well-known construction of the Lie algebras of the non-compact groups $\text{SP}\text{(2n,}\text{R}$ and $\text{SO}\text{(2n)}{}^1$ from boson operators transforming like a fundamental representation of their maximal compact subgroup U(n). However this extension is non-trivial only for n?4 and stops at n = 8 leading to the Lei algebras of SU(4) × SU(1, 1), SU(1, 1), SU(5, 1), SO(12)¹ and E₇(7). We then give a general construction of an infinite class of unitary irreducible representations of the respective non-compact groups (except for E₇₍₇₎ and SO(12)¹ obtained from the extended construction). We illustrate our construction with the examples of SU(5, 1) and SO(12)¹.     

M‐theory solutions invariant under D(2,1; γ) ⊕ D(2,1;γ)

We simplify and extend the construction of half‐BPS solutions to 11‐dimensional supergravity, with isometry superalgebra D(2,1;γ) ⊕ D(2,1;γ). Their space‐time has the form AdS₃× S³× S³ warped over a Riemann surface Σ. It describes near‐horizon geometries of M2 branes ending on, or intersecting with, M5 branes along a common string. The general solution to the BPS equations is specified by a reduced set of data (γ, h, G), where γ is the real parameter of the isometry superalgebra, and h and G are functions on Σ whose differential equations and regularity conditions depend only on the sign of γ. The magnitude of γ enters only through the map of h,G onto the supergravity fields, thereby promoting all solutions into families parametrized by |γ|. By analyzing the regularity conditions for the supergravity fields, we prove two general theorems: (i) that the only solution with a 2‐dimensional CFT dual is AdS₃× S³× S³× ℝ², modulo discrete identifications of the flat ℝ², and (ii) that solutions with γ < 0 cannot have more than one asymptotic higher‐dimensional AdS region. We classify the allowed singularities of h and G near the boundary of Σ, and identify four local solutions: asymptotic AdS₄/Z₂ or AdS₇^′ regions; highly‐curved M5‐branes; and a coordinate singularity called the “cap”. By putting these “Lego” pieces together we recover all known global regular solutions with the above symmetry, including the self‐dual strings on M5 for γ <0, and the Janus solution for γ > 0, but now promoted to families parametrized by |γ|. We also construct exactly new regular solutions which are asymptotic to AdS₄/Z₂ for γ < 0, and conjecture that they are a different superconformal limit of the self‐dual string. Finally, we construct exactly γ > 0 solutions with highly curved M5‐brane regions, which are the formal continuation of the self‐dual string solutions across the decompactification point at γ = 0.     

{\mathcal{N} = 2} Supersymmetric AdS4 Solutions of M-theory

We analyse the most general ${\mathcal{N} = 2}$ supersymmetric solutions of D = 11 supergravity consisting of a warped product of four-dimensional anti-de-Sitter space with a seven-dimensional Riemannian manifold Y ₇. We show that the necessary and sufficient conditions for supersymmetry can be phrased in terms of a local SU(2)-structure on Y ₇. Solutions with non-zero M2-brane charge also admit a canonical contact structure, in terms of which many physical quantities can be expressed, including the free energy and the scaling dimensions of operators dual to supersymmetric wrapped M5-branes. We show that a special class of solutions is singled out by imposing an additional symmetry, for which the problem reduces to solving a second order non-linear ODE. As well as recovering a known class of solutions, that includes the IR fixed point of a mass deformation of the ABJM theory, we also find new solutions which are dual to cubic deformations. In particular, we find a new supersymmetric warped AdS₄ × S ⁷ solution with non-trivial four-form flux.     

Review of AdS/CFT Integrability, Chapter II.3: Sigma Model, Gauge Fixing

This review is devoted to the classical integrability of the AdS ₅ × S⁵ superstring theory. It starts with a reminder of the corresponding action as a coset model. The symmetries of this action are then reviewed. The classical integrability is then considered from the lagrangian and hamiltonian points of view. The second part of this review deals with the gauge fixing of this theory. Finally, some aspects of the pure spinor formulation are also briefly reviewed.