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S. Ferrara

Publications and source records attributed to S. Ferrara.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2004

Non-anticommutative chiral singlet deformation of N=(1,1) gauge theory

We study the SO(4)x SU(2) invariant Q-deformation of Euclidean N=(1,1) gauge theories in the harmonic superspace formulation. This deformation preserves chirality and Grassmann harmonic analyticity but breaks N=(1,1) to N=(1,0) supersymmetry. The action of the deformed gauge theory is an integral over the chiral superspace, and only the purely chiral part of the covariant superfield strength contributes to it. We give the component form of the N=(1,0) supersymmetric action for the gauge groups U(1) and U(n>1). In the U(1) and U(2) cases, we find the explicit nonlinear field redefinition (Seiberg-Witten map) relating the deformed N=(1,1) gauge multiplet to the undeformed one. This map exists in the general U(n) case as well, and we use this fact to argue that the deformed U(n) gauge theory can be nonlinearly reduced to a theory with the gauge group SU(n).

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arXiv2004

Gauging the Heisenberg algebra of special quaternionic manifolds

We show that in N=2 supergravity, with a special quaternionic manifold of (quaternionic) dimension h_1+1 and in the presence of h_2 vector multiplets, a h_2+1 dimensional abelian algebra, intersecting the 2h_1+3 dimensional Heisenberg algebra of quaternionic isometries, can be gauged provided the h_2+1 symplectic charge--vectors V_I, have vanishing symplectic invariant scalar product V_I X V_J=0. For compactifications on Calabi--Yau three--folds with Hodge numbers (h_1,h_2) such condition generalizes the half--flatness condition as used in the recent literature. We also discuss non--abelian extensions of the above gaugings and their consistency conditions.

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arXiv2004

Scherk-Schwarz Reduction of D=5 Special and Quaternionic Geometry

We give the N=2 gauged supergravity interpretation of a generic D=4, N=2 theory as it comes from generalized Scherk-Schwarz reduction of D=5, N=2 (ungauged) supergravity. We focus on the geometric aspects of the D=4 data such as the general form of the scalar potential and masses in terms of the gauging of a ``flat group''. Higgs and super-Higgs mechanism are discussed in some detail.

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arXiv2004

Orientifolds, Brane Coordinates and Special Geometry

We report on the gauged supergravity analysis of Type IIB vacua on K3x T2/Z2 orientifold in the presence of D3-D7-branes and fluxes. We discuss supersymmetric critical points correspond to Minkowski vacua and the related fixing of moduli, finding agreement with previous analysis. An important role is played by the choice of the symplectic holomorphic sections of special geometry which enter the computation of the scalar potential. The related period matrix N is explicitly given. The relation between the special geometry and the Born--Infeld action for the brane moduli is elucidated.

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arXiv2004

No-scale D=5 supergravity from Scherk-Schwarz reduction of D=6 theories

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.

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arXiv2004

Axion gauge symmetries and generalized Chern-Simons terms in N=1 supersymmetric theories

We compute the form of the Lagrangian of N=1 supersymmetric theories with gauged axion symmetries. It turns out that there appear generalized Chern-Simons terms that were not considered in previous superspace formulations of general N=1 theories. Such gaugings appear in supergravities arising from flux compactifications of superstrings, as well as from Scherk-Schwarz generalized dimensional reduction in M-theory. We also present the dual superspace formulation where axion chiral multiplets are dualized into linear multiplets.

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arXiv2004

K3 x T^2/Z_2 orientifolds with fluxes, open string moduli and critical points

We extend the four-dimensional gauged supergravity analysis of type IIB vacua on $K3\times T^2/Z_2$ to the case where also D3 and D7 moduli, belonging to N=2 vector multiplets, are turned on. In this case, the overall special geometry does not correspond to a symmetric space, unless D3 or D7 moduli are switched off. In the presence of non--vanishing fluxes, we discuss supersymmetric critical points which correspond to Minkowski vacua, finding agreement with previous analysis. Finally, we point out that care is needed in the choice of the symplectic holomorphic sections of special geometry which enter the computation of the scalar potential.

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arXiv2003

Supersymmetry in noncommutative superspaces

Non commutative superspaces can be introduced as the Moyal-Weyl quantization of a Poisson bracket for classical superfields. Different deformations are studied corresponding to constant background fields in string theory. Supersymmetric and non supersymmetric deformations can be defined, depending on the differential operators used to define the Poisson bracket. Some examples of deformed, 4 dimensional lagrangians are given. For extended superspace (N>1), some new deformations can be defined, with no analogue in the N=1 case.

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arXiv2003

New D=4 gauged supergravities from N=4 orientifolds with fluxes

We consider classes of T_6 orientifolds, where the orientifold projection contains an inversion I_{9-p} on 9-p coordinates, transverse to a Dp-brane. In absence of fluxes, the massless sector of these models corresponds to diverse forms of N=4 supergravity, with six bulk vector multiplets coupled to N=4 Yang--Mills theory on the branes. They all differ in the choice of the duality symmetry corresponding to different embeddings of SU(1,1)\times SO(6,6+n) in Sp(24+2n,R), the latter being the full group of duality rotations. Hence, these Lagrangians are not related by local field redefinitions. When fluxes are turned on one can construct new gaugings of N=4 supergravity, where the twelve bulk vectors gauge some nilpotent algebra which, in turn, depends on the choice of fluxes.

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arXiv2003

4-D gauged supergravity analysis of Type IIB vacua on $K3\times T^2/Z_2$

We analyze $N=2,1,0$ vacua of type IIB string theory on $K3\times T^2/Z_2$ in presence of three-form fluxes from a four dimensional supergravity viewpoint. The quaternionic geometry of the $K3$ moduli space together with the special geometry of the NS and R-R dilatons and of the $T^2$-complex structure moduli play a crucial role in the analysis. The introduction of fluxes corresponds to a particular gauging of N=2, D=4 supergravity. Our results agree with a recent work of Tripathy and Trivedi. The present formulation shows the power of supergravity in the study of effective theories with broken supersymmetry.

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arXiv2002

N=2 Super-Higgs, N=1 Poincare' Vacua and Quaternionic Geometry

In the context of N=2 supergravity we explain the occurrence of partial super-Higgs with vanishing vacuum energy and moduli stabilization in a model suggested by superstring compactifications on type IIB orientifolds with 3-form fluxes. The gauging of axion symmetries of the quaternionic manifold, together with the use of degenerate symplectic sections for special geometry, are the essential ingredients of the construction.

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arXiv2002

N=1 No-Scale Supergravity from IIB Orientifolds

We describe the low-energy effective theory of N=1 spontaneously broken supegravity obtained by flux-induced breaking in the presence of n D3 branes. This theory can be obtained by integrating out three massive gravitino multiplets in the hierarchical breaking N=4 to N=3 to N=2 to N=1. This integration also eliminates the IIB complex dilaton. The resulting theory is a no-scale supergravity model, whose moduli are the three chiral multiplets that correspond to the three radii of the three 2-tori in 6-torus, together with the 6n brane coordinates. The U(n) gauge interactions on the branes respect the no-scale structure,and the N=1 goldstino is the fermionic partner of the 6-torus volume.

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arXiv2002

Observations on the Holographic Duals of 4-D Extremal Black Holes

We argue that extremal black holes of N=4 Poincare supergravity coupled to conformal matter have a quantum-exact dual 5-d description in the maximally supersymmetric extension of the Randall-Sundrum theory. This dual is a the classical, static supergravity solution describing a string with both Neveu-Schwarz and Ramond charge with respect to different antisymmetric tensor doublets. We also discuss the issue of the singularity present in a class of such supergravity solutions found by Cvetic, Lu and Pope.

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arXiv2002

On the Super Higgs Effect in Extended Supergravity

We consider the reduction of supersymmetry in N-extended four dimensional supergravity via the super Higgs mechanism in theories without cosmological constant. We provide an analysis largely based on the properties of long and short multiplets of Poincare' supersymmetry. Examples of the super Higgs phenomenon are realized in spontaneously broken N=8 supergravity through the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism and in superstring compactification in presence of brane fluxes. In many models the massive vectors count the difference in number of the translation isometries of the scalar sigma-model geometries in the broken and unbroken phase.

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arXiv2002

Duality and Spontaneously Broken Supergravity in Flat Backgrounds

It is shown that the super Higgs mechanism that occurs in a wide class of models with vanishing cosmological constant (at the classical level) is obtained by the gauging of a flat group which must be an electric subgroup of the duality group. If the residual massive gravitinos which occur in the partial supersymmetry breaking are BPS saturated, then the flat group is non abelian. This is so for all the models obtained by a Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking mechanism. If gravitinos occur in long multiplets, then the flat groups may be abelian. This is the case of supersymmetry breaking by string compactifications on an orientifold T^6/Z_2 with non trivial brane fluxes.

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arXiv2002

Gauging of Flat Groups in Four Dimensional Supergravity

We show that N=8 spontaneously broken supergravity in four dimensions obtained by Scherk-Schwarz generalized dimensional reduction can be obtained from a pure four dimensional perspective by gauging a suitable electric subgroup of E_{7,7}. Owing to the fact that there are non isomorphic choices of maximal electric subgroups of the U-duality group their gaugings give rise to inequivalent theories. This in particular shows that the Scherk-Schwarz gaugings do not fall in previous classifications of possible gauged N=8 supergravities. Gauging of flat groups appear in many examples of string compactifications in presence of brane fluxes.

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