In supersymmetry, 4D
lN=1
This theory plays an important role in many Beyond the Standard Model scenarios. Notably, many four-dimensional models derived from string theory are of this type, with supersymmetry providing crucial control over the compactification procedure. The absence of low-energy supersymmetry in our universe requires that supersymmetry is broken at some scale. Supergravity provides new mechanisms for supersymmetry breaking that are absent in global supersymmetry, such as gravity mediation. Another useful feature is the presence of no-scale models, which have numerous applications in cosmology.
Supergravity was first discovered in 1976 in the form of pure 4D lN=1
The development of tensor calculus techniques[7] [8] [9] [10] allowed for the construction of supergravity actions more efficiently. Using this formalism, the general four-dimensional matter-coupled
lN=1
The particle content of a general four-dimensional
lN=1
(g\mu\nu,\psi\mu)
g\mu\nu
\psi\alpha
\alpha
(\phin,\chin)
n
\phin
\chin
I, | |
(A | |
\mu |
λI)
I | |
A | |
\mu |
λI
I
One of the most important structures of the theory is the scalar manifold, which is the field space manifold whose coordinates are the scalars. Global supersymmetry implies that this manifold must be a special type of complex manifold known as a Kähler manifold. Local supersymmetry of supergravity further restricts its form to be that of a Kähler–Hodge manifold.
The theory is primarily described by three arbitrary functions of the scalar fields, the first being the Kähler potential
K(\phi,\bar\phi)
W(\phi)
fIJ(\phi)
Additionally, the supergravity may be gauged or ungauged. In ungauged supergravity, any gauge transformations present can only act on abelian gauge fields. Meanwhile, a gauged supergravity can be acquired from an ungauged one by gauging some of its global symmetries, which can cause the scalars or fermions to also transform under gauge transformations and result in non-abelian gauge fields. Besides local supersymmetry transformations, local Lorentz transformations, and gauge transformations, the action must also be invariant under Kähler transformations
K(\phi,\bar\phi) → K(\phi,\bar\phi)+f(\phi)+\barf(\bar\phi)
f(\phi)
Historically, the first approach to constructing supergravity theories was the iterative Noether formalism which uses a globally supersymmetric theory as a starting point.[15] Its Lagrangian is then coupled to pure supergravity through the term
lL\supset-\psi\muj\mu
Since the Noether formalism proved to be very tedious and inefficient, more efficient construction techniques were developed. The first formalism that successfully constructed the general matter-coupled 4D supergravity theory was the tensor calculus formalism.[16] [17] Another early approach was the superspace approach which generalizes the notion of superspace to a curved superspace whose tangent space at each point behaves like the traditional flat superspace from global supersymmetry. The general invariant action can then be constructed in terms of the superfields, which can then be expanded in terms of the component fields to give the component form of the supergravity action.
Another approach is the superconformal tensor calculus approach which uses conformal symmetry as a tool to construct supergravity actions that do not themselves have any conformal symmetry.[18] [19] This is done by first constructing a gauge theory using the superconformal algebra. This theory contains extra fields and symmetries, but they can be eliminated using constraints or through gauge fixing to yield Poincaré supergravity without conformal symmetry.
The superconformal and superspace ideas have also been combined into a number of different supergravity conformal superspace formulations. The direct generalization of the original on-shell superspace approach is the Grimm–Wess–Zumino formalism formulated in 1979.[20] There is also the
U(1)
lN=1
Supergravity often uses Majorana spinor notation over that of Weyl spinors since four-component notation is easier to use in curved spacetime. Weyl spinors can be acquired as projections of a Majorana spinor
\chi
\chiL,R=PL,R\chi
Complex scalars in the chiral multiplets act as coordinates on a complex manifold in the sense of the nonlinear sigma model, known as the scalar manifold. In supersymmetric theories these manifolds are imprinted with additional geometric constraints arising from the supersymmetry transformations. In
lN=1
lN>1
Global supersymmetry already restricts the manifold to be a Kähler manifolds. These are a type of complex manifold, which roughly speaking are manifolds that look locally like
Cn
gm\bar
\phi\bar\equiv\bar\phin
\Omega=igm\bard\phim\wedged\phi\bar,
d\Omega=0
gm\bar=\partialm\partial\barK
K(\phi,\bar\phi)
\partialn
\phin
h(\phi)
K(\phi,\bar\phi) → K(\phi,\bar\phi)+h(\phi)+\barh(\bar\phi).
Since this does not change the scalar manifold, supersymmetric actions must be invariant under such transformations.
While in global supersymmetry, fields and the superpotential transform trivially under Kähler transformations, in supergravity they are charged under the Kähler transformations as[15]
W →
| ||||||||||
e |
W,
\chim →
| ||||||||||||
e |
\chim,
\psi\mu,\epsilon,λI →
| |||||||||||
e |
\psi\mu,\epsilon,λI,
where
\epsilon
U(1)
Q\mu=
i | |
2 |
[(\partial\barK)\partial\mu\phi\bar-(\partialmK)\partial\mu\phim-
I | |
A | |
\mu |
(rI-\barrI)],
with this satisfying
dQ=\Omega
\Omega
rI
lN=1
c1(L)=[lK]
c1(L)
[lK]
An implication of the presence of an associated
U(1)
\Omega=dQ
S2
Global symmetries in ungauged supergravity fall roughly into three classes; they are subgroups of the scalar manifold isometry group, they are rotations among the gauge fields, or they are the R-symmetry group. The exact global symmetry group depends on the details of the theory, such as the particular superpotential and gauge kinetic function, which provide additional constraints on the symmetry group.
The global symmetry group of a supergravity with
nv
nc
Giso x Gv x U(1)R
Giso
Gv
U(1)R
ncv\leqnc
Giso → Giso,c x Giso,cv
Global symmetries acting on scalars can only be subgroups of the isometry group of the scalar manifold since the transformations must preserves the scalar metric. Infinitesimal isometry transformations are described by Killing vectors
n | |
\xi | |
I(\phi) |
lL | |
\xiI |
g=0
lL | |
\xiI |
\phin → \phin+\alpha
n(\phi) | |
I |
[\xiI,\xiJ]=fIJ{}K\xiK.
Since the scalar manifold is a complex manifold, Killing vectors corresponding to symmetries of this manifold must also preserve the complex structure
lL | |
\xiI |
J=0
\barm | |
\xi | |
I |
=\bar
m | |
\xi | |
I |
lPI
i | |
\xiI |
J=dlPI
i | |
\xiI |
lPJ=
i | |
2 |
m | |
[\xi | |
I |
\partialmK-
\barn | |
\xi | |
I |
\partial\barK-(rI-\barrI)],
where the holomorphic functions
rI(\phi)
m | |
\xi | |
I |
\partialmK+
\barn | |
\xi | |
I |
\partial\barK=rI(\phi)+\barrI(\bar\phi).
The prepotential must also satisfy a consistency condition known as the equivariance condition[19]
mg | |
\xi | |
m\barn |
\barn | |
\xi | |
J |
-
mg | |
\xi | |
m\barn |
\barn | |
\xi | |
I |
=ifIJ{}KlPK,
where
fIJ{}K
An additional restriction on global symmetries of scalars is that the superpotential must be invariant up to the same Kähler transformation
rI(\phi)
n | |
\xi | |
I |
\partialnW=
rI | ||||||
|
W.
\mu\nu | |
F | |
I |
\mu\nu | |
G | |
I |
\star
\mu\nu | |
G | |
I |
=2
\deltaS | ||||||||
|
.
Writing the field strengths and dual field strengths in a single vector allows the most general transformations to be written as
\deltaI(\begin{smallmatrix}F\\G\end{smallmatrix})=TI(\begin{smallmatrix}F\ G\end{smallmatrix})
TI=\begin{pmatrix}aI
J{} | |
{} | |
K |
&
JK | |
b | |
I{} |
\ cIJK&dIJ{}K\end{pmatrix}.
Sp(2nv,R)
n | |
\xi | |
I |
\partialnfJK(\phi)=cIJK+dIJ
Mf | |
{} | |
MK |
-fJMaI
M{} | |
{} | |
K |
+
MN | |
b | |
I{} |
fJMfKN
fixing the coefficients determining
TI
bI ≠ 0
cI ≠ 0
Gv
O(nv)\subsetSp(2nv,R)
In an ungauged supergravity, gauge symmetry only consists of abelian transformations of the gauge fields
\delta
I | |
A | |
\mu |
=\partial\mu\alphaI(x)
Meanwhile, gauged supergravity gauges some of the global symmetries of the ungauged theory. Since the global symmetries are strongly limited by the details of the theory present, such as the scalar manifold, the scalar potential, and the gauge kinetic matrix, the available gauge groups are likewise limited.
Gauged supergravity is invariant under the gauge transformations with gauge parameter
\alphaI(x)
\delta\alpha\phin=\alphaI(x)
n, | |
\xi | |
I |
\delta\alpha\chin=
n | |
\alpha | |
I |
\chim+
1 | ||||||
|
I(x)(r | |
\alpha | |
I-\bar |
n, | |
r | |
I)\chi |
\delta\alpha
I | |
A | |
\mu |
=\partial\mu\alphaI(x)+\alphaJ(x)fKJ{}IA
K | |
\mu, |
\delta\alphaλI=
J(x)f | |
\alpha | |
KJ |
{}IλK-
1 | ||||||
|
J(x)\gamma | |
\alpha | |
5(r |
J-\bar
I, | |
r | |
J)λ |
\delta\alpha\psiL\mu=-
1 | ||||||
|
I(x)(r | |
\alpha | |
I-\bar |
rI)\psiL\mu.
Here
n | |
\xi | |
I |
rI(\phi)
U(1)
Im(rI)
Supergravity has a number of distinct symmetries, all of which require their own covariant derivatives. The standard Lorentz covariant derivative on curved spacetime is denoted by
D\mu
ab | |
\omega | |
\mu |
D\mu=\partial\mu+
ab | |
\tfrac{1}{4}\omega | |
\mu{} |
\gammaab.
Scalars transform nontrivially only under scalar coordinate transformations and gauge transformations, so their covariant derivative is given by
\hat\partial\mu\phin=\partial\mu\phin-
I | |
A | |
\mu |
n, | |
\xi | |
I |
where
n | |
\xi | |
I(\phi) |
lDnW=\partialnW+
1 | ||||||
|
(\partialnK)W,
where
\partialn
\phin
The various covariant derivatives associated to the fermions depend upon which symmetries the fermions are charged under. The gravitino transforms under both Lorentz and Kähler transformation, while the gaugino additionally also transforms under gauge transformations. The chiralino transforms under all these as well as transforming as a vector under scalar field redefinitions. Therefore, their covariant derivatives are given by[19]
lD\mu\psi\nu=D\mu\psi\nu+
i | ||||||
|
Q\mu\gamma5\psi\nu,
I | |
\hat{lD} | |
\muλ |
=D\muλI+
J | |
A | |
\mu |
I | |
f | |
JK |
λK+
i | ||||||
|
Q\mu\gamma5λI,
\hat{lD}\mu
m | |
\chi | |
L |
=
m | |
D | |
L |
+(\hat\partial\mu\phin)\Gamma
m | |
nl |
l | |
\chi | |
L |
-
I | |
A | |
\mu |
(\partialn
n | |
\xi | |
L |
-
i | ||||||
|
Q\mu
m | |
\chi | |
L. |
Here
m | |
\Gamma | |
nl |
=gm\bar\partialngl
fJK{}I
Q\mu
U(1)
R-symmetry of
lN=1
\chim →
i\theta\gamma5 | |
e |
\chim, \psi\mu,λI →
-i\theta\gamma5 | |
e |
\psi\mu,λI.
This is identical to the way that a constant Kähler transformation acts on fermions, differing from such transformations only in that it does not additionally transform the superpotential. Since Kähler transformations are necessarily symmetries of supergravity, R-symmetry is only a symmetry of supergravity when these two coincide, which only occurs for a vanishing superpotential.[24]
Whenever R-symmetry is a global symmetry of the ungauged theory, it can be gauged to construct a gauged supergravity, which does not necessarily require gauging any chiral scalars. The simplest example of such a supergravity is Freedman's gauged supergravity which only has a single vector used to gauge R-symmetry and whose bosonic action is equivalent to an Einstein–Maxwell–de Sitter theory.[26]
The Lagrangian for 4D
lN=1
lL=lLkinetic+lLtheta+lLmass+lLinteraction+lLsupercurrent+lLpotential+lL4-fermion.
Besides being invariant under local supersymmetry transformations, this Lagrangian also is Lorentz invariant, gauge invariant, and Kähler transformation invariant, with covariant derivatives being covariant under these. The three main functions determining the structure of the Lagrangian are the superpotential, the Kähler potential, and the gauge kinetic matrix.
The first term in the Lagrangian consists of all the kinetic terms of the fields[19] [15] [2]
e-1lLkinetic=
| |||||||
2 |
R-
| |||||||
2 |
\bar\psi\mu\gamma\mulD\nu\psi\rho
-gm\bar[(\hat\partial\mu\phim)(\hat\partial\mu\phi\bar)+\bar
m | |
\chi | |
L |
\hat{{lD}/}
n | |
\chi | |
R |
+\bar
\barn | |
\chi | |
R |
m] | |
\hat{{lD}/}\chi | |
L |
+Re(fIJ)[-
1 | |
4 |
I | |
F | |
\mu\nu |
F\mu\nu-
1 | |
2 |
\barλI\hat{{lD}/}λJ].
The first line is the kinetic action for the supergravity multiplet, made up of the Einstein–Hilbert action and the covariantized Rarita–Schwinger action; this line is the covariant generalization of the pure supergravity action. The formalism used for describing gravity is the vielbein formalism, where
\mu | |
e | |
a |
\mu | |
\omega | |
ab |
e=\det
a | |
e | |
\mu |
=\sqrt{-g}
MP
The second line consists of the kinetic terms for the chiral multiplets, with its overall form determined by the scalar manifold metric which itself is fully fixed by the Kähler potential
gm\bar=\partialm\partial\barK
fIJ(\phi)
\partial/=\gamma\mu\partial\mu
I | |
F | |
\mu\nu |
I | |
A | |
\mu |
The gauge sector also introduces a theta-like term
e-1lLtheta=
1 | |
8 |
Im(fIJ
I | |
)[F | |
\mu\nu |
J | |
F | |
\rho\sigma |
\epsilon\mu\nu\rho-2i\hat{lD}\mu(e\barλI\gamma5\gamma\muλJ)],
with this being a total derivative whenever the imaginary part of the gauge kinetic matrix is a constant, in which case it does not contribute to the classical equations of motion.
The supergravity action has a set of mass-like bilinear terms for its fermions given by
e-1lLmass=
1 | ||||||
|
| |||||||
e |
W\bar\psi\mu\gamma\mu\nu\psi\nu
+ | 1 |
4 |
| |||||||
e |
m\barn | |
(lD | |
mW)g |
\partial\bar\barfIJ\bar
I | |
λ | |
R |
J | |
λ | |
R |
-
1 | |
2 |
| |||||||
e |
(lDmlDnW)\bar
\barm | |
\chi | |
L |
n | |
\chi | |
L |
+
i\sqrt2 | |
4 |
DI\partialmfIJ\bar
m | |
\chi | |
L |
λJ-\sqrt2
\barn | |
\xi | |
I |
gm\bar\barλI
m | |
\chi | |
L |
+h.c..
The D-terms
DI
DI=(Re f)-1IJlPJ,
where
lPJ
W(\phi)
The next term in the Lagrangian is the supergravity generalization of a similar term found in the corresponding globally supersymmetric action that describes mixing between the gauge boson, a chiralino, and the gaugino. In the supergravity Lagrangian it is given by
e-1lLinteraction=-
1 | |
4\sqrt2 |
\partialmfIJ
I | |
F | |
\mu\nu |
\bar
m | |
\chi | |
L |
\gamma\mu\nu
J | |
λ | |
L |
+h.c..
The supercurrent terms describe the coupling of the gravitino to generalizations of the chiral and gauge supercurrents from global supersymmetry as
e-1lLsupercurrent=
\mu | |
-(J | |
chiral |
\psi\mu+
\mu | |
h.c.)-J | |
gauge |
\psi\mu,
where
\mu | |
J | |
chiral |
=-\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}gm\bar\bar
m | |
\chi | |
L |
\gamma\mu\gamma\nu\hat\partial\nu\phi\bar+\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}\bar
\barn | |
\chi | |
R |
\gamma\mu
| |||||||
e |
lD\bar\barW,
\mu | |
J | |
gauge |
=-\tfrac{1}{4}\bar
JRe(f | |
λ | |
IJ |
)
I | |
F | |
\nu\rho |
\gamma\mu\gamma\nu-\tfrac{i}{2}\barλJlPJ\gamma\mu\gamma5.
These are the supercurrents of the chiral sector and of the gauge sector modified appropriately to be covariant under the symmetries of the supergravity action. They provide additional bilinear terms between the gravitino and the other fermions that need to be accounted for when going into the mass basis.
The presence of terms coupling the gravitino to the supercurrents of the global theory is a generic feature of supergravity theories since the gravitino acts as the gauge field for local supersymmetry.[15] This is analogous to the case of gauge theories more generally, where gauge fields couple to the current associated to the symmetry that has been gauged. For example, quantum electrodynamics consists of the Maxwell action and the Dirac action, together with a coupling between the photon and the current
-ej\muA\mu
The potential term in the Lagrangian describes the scalar potential
e-1lLpotential=-V(\phi,\bar\phi)
V(\phi,\bar\phi)=
| |||||||
e |
[gm\bar(lDmW)(lD\bar\barW)-
3|W|2 | ]+ | |||||
|
1 | |
2 |
Re(fIJ)DIDJ,
where the first term is known as the F-term, and is a generalization of the potential arising from the chiral multiplets in global supersymmetry, together with a new negative gravitational contribution proportional to
|W|2
The Kähler potential and the superpotential are not independent in supergravity since Kähler transformations allow for the shifting of terms between them. The two functions can instead be packaged into an invariant function known as the Kähler invariant function[19]
G=
-2 | |
M | |
P |
K+ln
-6 | |
(M | |
P |
|W|2).
The Lagrangian can be written in terms of this function as
V=
4e | |
M | |
P |
G[\partialmG(\partialm\partial\barG)\partial\barG-3].
Finally, there are the four-fermion interaction terms. These are given by[19]
e-1lL4-fermion=
| |||||||
2 |
lLSG
+[-
1 | |
4\sqrt2 |
\partialmfIJ\bar\psi\mu\gamma\mu\chim\barλI
J | |
λ | |
L |
+
1 | |
8 |
(lDm\partialnfIJ)\bar\chim\chin\barλI
J | |
λ | |
L |
+h.c.]
+
1 | |
16 |
ie-1\epsilon\mu\nu\rho\sigma\bar\psi\mu\gamma\nu
\psi | ||||
|
Re(fIJ)\barλI\gamma5\gamma\sigmaλJ+gm\bar\chi\bar\gamma\sigma\chim)-
1 | |
2 |
gm\bar\psi\mu\chi\bar\bar\psi\mu\chim
+
1 | |
4 |
(Rm-
1 | ||||||
|
gmgp)\bar\chim\chip\bar\chi\bar\chi\bar
+ | 3 | |||||||
|
[Re(fIJ)\barλI\gamma\mu\gamma5λJ]2-
1 | |
16 |
\partialmfIJ\barλI
m\barn | |
λ | |
Lg |
\bar\partial\barfKM\barλK
M | |
λ | |
R |
+
1 | |
16 |
(Re(f))-1(\partialmfIK\bar\chim-\partial\bar\barfIK\bar\chi\bar)λK(\partialnfJM\bar\chin-\partial\bar\barfJM\bar\chi\bar)λM
-
1 | ||||||
|
gmRe(fIJ)\bar\chimλI\bar\chi\barλJ.
Here
Rm\bar
lLSG
e-1lLSG=-
1 | |
16 |
[(\bar\psi\rho\gamma\mu\psi\nu)(\bar\psi\rho\gamma\mu\psi\nu+2\bar\psi\rho\gamma\nu\psi\mu)-4(\bar\psi\mu\gamma\sigma\psi\sigma)(\bar\psi\mu\gamma\sigma\psi\sigma)]
that arises in the second-order action of pure
lN=1
The supersymmetry transformation rules, up to three-fermion terms which are unimportant for most applications, are given by[19]
\delta
a | |
e | |
\mu |
=\tfrac{1}{2}\bar\epsilon
a\psi | |
\gamma | |
\mu, |
\delta\phim=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}\bar\epsilonL
m, | |
\chi | |
L |
\delta
I | |
A | |
\mu |
=-\tfrac{1}{2}\bar\epsilon\gamma\muλI,
\delta\psi\mu=lD\mu\epsilonL+\gamma\muS\epsilonR,
\delta
m | |
\chi | |
L |
=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}\hat{\partial/}\phim\epsilonR+lNm\epsilonL,
\delta
I | |
λ | |
L |
=\tfrac{1}{4}\gamma\mu\nu
I | |
F | |
\mu\nu |
\epsilonL+NI\epsilonL,
where
S=
2} | |
\tfrac{1}{2M | |
P |
| |||||||
e |
W,
lNm=-\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}gm\bar
| |||||||
e |
lD\bar\barW,
NI=\tfrac{i}{2}DI,
are known as fermionic shifts. It is a general feature of supergravity theories that fermionic shifts fix the form of the potential. In this case they can be used to express the potential as[15]
V(\phi)=-12
2 | |
M | |
P |
S\barS+2gmlNmlN\bar+2Re(fIJ)NI\barNJ,
showing that the fermionic shifts from the matter fields gives a positive-definite contribution, while the gravitino gives a negative definite contribution.[15]
A vacuum state used in many applications of supergravity is that of a maximally symmetric spacetime with no fermionic condensate. The case when fermionic condensates are present can be dealt with similarly by instead considering the effective field theory below the condensation scale where the condensate is now described by the presence of another scalar field.[15] There are three types of maximally symmetric spacetimes, those being de Sitter, Minkowski, and anti-de Sitter spacetimes, with these distinguished by the sign of the cosmological constant, which in supergravity at the classical level is equivalent to the sign of the scalar potential.
Supersymmetry is preserved if all supersymmetric variations of fermionic fields vanish in the vacuum state. Since the maximally symmetric spacetime under consideration has a constant scalar field and a vanishing gauge field, the variation of the chiralini and gluini imply that
\langlelNm\rangle=\langleNI\rangle=0
\langlelDmW\rangle=\langlelDI\rangle=0
V\leq0
\langleW\rangle=0
Supergravity provides a useful mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking of supersymmetry known as gravity mediation.[19] This setup has a hidden and an observable sector that have no renormalizable couplings between them, meaning that they fully decouple from each other in the global supersymmetry
MP → infty
The supercurrent Lagrangian terms consists in part of bilinear fermion terms mixing the gravitino with the other fermions. These terms can be expressed as
lLsupercurrent\supset-\bar\psi\mu\gamma\muvL+h.c.
where
vL
vL=-\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}
m | |
\chi | |
L |
| |||||||
e |
lDmW-\tfrac{1}{2}i
IlP | |
λ | |
I. |
This field transforms under supersymmetry transformations as
\deltavL=\tfrac{1}{2}V+\epsilonL+ …
V+
V+>0
v=0
lLmass
m3/2=
2}e | |
\tfrac{1}{M | |
P |
| |||||||
W.
An implication of this procedure when calculating the mass of the remaining fermions is that the gauge fixing transformation for the goldstino leads to additional shift contributions to the mass matrix for the chiral and gauge fermions, which have to be included.[19]
The supertrace sum of the squares of the mass matrix eigenvalues gives valuable information about the mass spectra of particles in supergravity. The general formula is most compactly written in the superspace formalism,[30] [31] but in the special case of a vanishing cosmological constant, a trivial gauge kinetic matrix
fIJ=\deltaIJ
nc
str(lM2)=\sumJ(-1)2J
2 | |
(2J+1)m | |
J |
=(nc-1)(2|m3/2
| ||||||||||
| |
IlP | |
lP | |
I) |
+
| |||||||
2e |
Rm\barlDmWlD\bar\barW+2iDI\nablam
m, | |
\xi | |
I |
which is the supergravity generalization of the corresponding result in global supersymmetry. One important implication is that generically scalars have masses of order of the gravitino mass while fermionic masses can remain small.[19]
No-scale models are models with a vanishing F-term, achieved by picking a Kähler potential and superpotential such that[19]
gm\bar(lDmW)(lD\bar\barW)=
3|W|2 | ||||||
|
.
When D-terms for gauge multiplets are ignored, this gives rise to the vanishing of the classical potential, which is said to have flat directions for all values of the scalar field. Additionally, supersymmetry is formally broken, indicated by a non-vanishing but undetermined mass of the gravitino. When moving beyond the classical level, quantum corrections come in to break this degeneracy, fixing the mass of the gravitino.[19] The tree-level flat directions are useful in pheonomenological applications of supergravity in cosmology where even after lifting the flat directions, the slope is usually relatively small, a feature useful for building inflationary potentials. No-scale models also commonly occur in string theory compactifications.[32]
Quantizing supergravity introduces additional subtleties. In particular, for supergravity to be consistent as a quantum theory, new constraints come in such as anomaly cancellation conditions and black hole charge quantization.[19] [33] Quantum effects can also play an important role in many scenarios where they can contribute dominant effects, such as when quantum contributions lift flat directions. The nonrenormalizability of four-dimensional supergravity also implies that it should be seen as an effective field theory of some UV theory.[29]
Quantum gravity is expected to have no exact global symmetries, which forbids constant Fayet–Iliopoulos terms as these can only arise if there are exact unbroken global
U(1)
U(1)
A globally supersymmetric 4D
lN=1
\psi\mu → \psi\mu/MP
MP → infty
lN=1
Unlike in global supersymmetry, where all extended supersymmetry models can be constructed as special cases of the
lN=1
lN=1
lN=2
lN=1
Four-dimensional
lN=1
lN=1
lN=2
lN=1
G2
lN=1