Graviphoton Explained

A _{\mu} emerges from an extra component of the metric tensor g _{\mu} , where the figure 5 labels an additional, fifth dimension.

In gravity theories with extended supersymmetry (extended supergravities), a graviphoton is normally a superpartner of the graviton that behaves like a photon, and is prone to couple with gravitational strength, as was appreciated in the late 1970s. Unlike the graviton, it may provide a repulsive (as well as an attractive) force, and thus, in some technical sense, a type of anti-gravity. Under special circumstances, in several natural models, often descending from five-dimensional theories mentioned, it may actually cancel the gravitational attraction in the static limit. Joël Scherk investigated semirealistic aspects of this phenomenon, stimulating searches^[1] for physical manifestations of this mechanism.

See also

• Graviscalar (a.k.a. radion)
• Supergravity

Notes and References

1. Fabbrichesi . M. . Roland . K. . 10.1016/0550-3213(92)90626-M . Strong anti-gravity . Nuclear Physics B . 388 . 2 . 539–569 . 1992 . hep-th/9205033 . 1992NuPhB.388..539F . 1738568 .