# nLab D=4 supergravity

Contents

### Context

#### Gravity

gravity, supergravity

supersymmetry

# Contents

## Idea

The maximally supersymmetric $N = 8$-version arises from type II supergravity in 10 dimension by compactification on a 6-torus.

The $N=1$-version arises from KK-reduction via M-theory on G2-manifolds. This hosts the super 2-brane in 4d.

## References

Minmal 4d Supergravity was the first supergravity theory to be constructed, in

### Geometric construction

Discussion in the D'Auria-Fré formulation of supergravity includes

The role of 2-form fields (tensor multiplets, via the 4d supergravity Lie 2-algebra incarnated via its dual Chevalley-Eilenberg algebras, “FDA”s) is discussed in

• José de Azcárraga, J. M. Izquierdo, Minimal $D=4$ supergravity from the superMaxwell algebra, Nucl. Phys. B 885, 34-45 (2014) (arXiv:1403.4128)

• Laura Andrianopoli, Riccardo D'Auria, Luca Sommovigo, $D=4$, $N=2$ Supergravity in the Presence of Vector-Tensor Multiplets and the Role of higher p-forms in the Framework of Free Differential Algebras (arXiv:0710.3107)

• Laura Andrianopoli, Riccardo D'Auria, Luca Sommovigo, Mario Trigiante, $D=4$, $N=2$ Gauged Supergravity coupled to Vector-Tensor Multiplets, Nucl.Phys.B851:1-29,2011 (arXiv:1103.4813)

based on

• Murat Gunaydin, S. McReynolds, M. Zagermann, Unified $N=2$ Maxwell-Einstein and Yang-Mills-Einstein Supergravity Theories in Four Dimensions, JHEP 0509:026,2005 (arXiv:hep-th/0507227)

Discussion of the splitting-decomposition analogous to that for the M-theory super Lie algebra

• Salih Kibaroğlu, Oktay Cebecioğlu, $D=4$ supergravity from the Maxwell-Weyl superalgebra (arXiv:1812.09861)

### On $N=8$$d=4$ supergravity

#### Construction

The maximal $N=8$ supergravity in 4d was obtained by KK-reduction of 11-dimensional supergravity on a 7-torus in

Its $SO(8)$-gauged version was obtained in

and further gaugings by non-compact gauge groups in

• Chris Hull, Phys. Rev. D30 (1984) 760;

• Chris Hull, Phys. Lett. 142B (1984)

• Chris Hull, Phys. Lett. 148B (1984) 297;

• Chris Hull, Physica 15D (1985) 230; Nucl. Phys. B253 (1985) 650.

• Chris Hull, Class. Quant. Grav. 2 (1985) 343.

• Chris Hull, New Gauged $N=8$, $D=4$ Supergravities, Class.Quant.Grav.20:5407-5424,2003 (arXiv:hep-th/0204156)

#### $N = 8$ Perturbative quantum supergravity

For early results on 2-loop finiteness of perturbative quantum supergravity see there.

Evidence for high loop order finiteness of $N=8$ 4d supergravity as as perturbative quantum field theory (perturbative quantum gravity) is discussed in

and via KLT relationsin

surveyed in

Arguments for finiteness from E7 U-duality is discussed in

• N. Beisert, H. Elvang, D. Z. Freedman, M. Kiermaier, A. Morales and S. Stieberger, $E_{7(7)}$ Constraints on Counterterms in N= 8 Supergravity_, Phys. Lett. B694, 265 (2010).

Arguments against finiteness to all orders include

#### On gravitino phenomenology

A proposal for super-heavy gravitinos as dark matter, by embedding D=4 N=8 supergravity into E10-U-duality-invariant M-theory:

following the proposal towards the end of

• Murray Gell-Mann, introductory talk at Shelter Island II, 1983 (pdf)

in: Shelter Island II: Proceedings of the 1983 Shelter Island Conference on Quantum Field Theory and the Fundamental Problems of Physics. MIT Press. pp. 301–343. ISBN 0-262-10031-2.

### On $N = 2$, $d = 4$ supergravity

Pietro Fré, T. Magri. $N = 2$ supergravity and $N = 2$ super Yang-Mills theory on general scalar manifolds: Symplectic covariance, gaugings and the momentum map. J. Geom. Phys. 23, 111–189, 1997 (arXiv:hep-th/9605032)

### On $N=1$$d = 4$ supergravity

There are two different off-shell formulations, the “old minimal”

and the “new minimal” supergravity

• V. Akulov, Dmitry Volkov and V. Soroka, Generally covariant theories of gauge fields on superspace, Theor. Math. Phys. 31 (1977) 285 (doi:10.1007/BF01041233)

• M.F. Sohnius and P.C. West, idem. Phys. Lett. 105B (1981) 353; idem. Nucl. Phys. B198 (1982) 493.

• M.F. Sohnius and P.C. West, `The New Minimal Formulation of N = 1 Supergravity and its Tensor Calculus', Nueld Workshop, 1981:0187 (London, England, Aug. 1981).

• Jim Gates, M. Rocek and Warren Siegel, Nucl. Phys. B198 (1982) 113

These two versions were later understood to be two different gauge fixings of N=1 d=4 coformal supergravity. Yet other gauge fixings are discussed in

• Jim Gates, Jr., Hitoshi Nishino, Will the Real 4D, $N=1$ SG Limit of Superstring/M-Theory Please Stand Up?, Phys.Lett.B492:178-186,2000 (arXiv:hep-th/0008206)

• Nicolas Boulanger, Mboyo Esole, A Note on the uniqueness of $D = 4$, $N=1$ supergravity, Class.Quant.Grav. 19 (2002) 2107-2124 (arXiv:gr-qc/0110072)

Textbook accounts include

Survey includes

### Gauged 4d supergravity

Discussion of gauged supergravity in 4d originates around (Cremmer-Julia 79 (where the E7-U-duality group was first seen)

Discussion of reduction from string theory includes

• L. Andrianopoli, Riccardo D'Auria, S. Ferrara, M. A. Lledo, 4-D gauged supergravity analysis of Type IIB vacua on $K_3 \times T^2 / \mathbb{Z}_2$, JHEP 0303:044,2003 (arXiv:hep-th/0302174)

Perturbative finiteness properties of gauged 4d supergravity from $N = 8$ ungauged 4d supergravity is discussed in BCDJR 11, p. 24:

Another question is whether $N = 8$ supergravity might point the way to other, more realistic finite (or well behaved) theories of quantum gravity, having less supersymmetry and (perhaps) chiral fermions. One step in this direction could be to examine the multiloop behavior of theories that can be thought of as spontaneously broken gauged $N = 8$ supergravity [73], which are known to have improved ultraviolet behavior at one loop [74].

Another interesting aspect [21] which should be implied by UV finiteness of $N = 8, 6, 5$ supergravity in $D = 4$ dimensions is that their gauged versions should be possibly UV finite, as well. Roughly speaking, this is related to the fact that gauging may be regarded as a spontaneous soft breaking of an unbroken gauge symmetry, and UV properties should not be affected by such a spontaneous breaking, as it happens in the Standard Model of electro-weak interactions.

### Lift to string theory and M-theory

Descent of 4d $\mathcal{N} = 2$ Sugra from type IIA string theory is reviewed for instance in

• Thomas Wyder, section 1.3 of Split attractor flow trees and black hole entropy in type II string theory (spire)

Discussion of lifts of gauged 4d supergravity to string theory/M-theory includes

Last revised on December 21, 2019 at 08:39:34. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.