| DRAFT | IASSNS-HEP-97/72

Lecture 15
X. Supersymmetry and Supergravity
Eric D'Hoker

On many occasions during the discussion of superstring theory we have obtained re-
sults that are consistent with the presence of space-time supersymmetry. These include the
counting of the number of bosonic versus fermionic states at all mass levels, as well as the
study of the spectrum at zero mass. In this section, we shall exhibit supersymmetry on the
spectrum and on the scattering amplitudes in an explicit fashion. We begin by completing
the study of the RNS formulation of string theory, and use the Ramond (fermion) vertex
operator to produce a conserved supercharge that generates space-time supersymmetry.
Next, we introduce and study the Green-Schwarz formulation of superstring theory, in
which space-time supersymmetry is manifestly realized. Finally, we exhibit the low energy
eld theory approximations to the various superstring theories we have introduced, and
identify them with known supergravity theories, in which we have local or gauged super-
symmetry. We show how the Green-Schwarz formulation of superstrings may be used to
couple strings to supergravity in a covariant way.

x10.1. Global space-time supersymmetry in the RNS Formulation

In the previous chapter, we have provided a complete prescription for the vertex
operators and for the calculation of transition amplitudes in the RNS formulation of su-
perstrings. The RNS formulation does not exhibit space-time supersymmetry in a manifest
fashion however: the construction of bosonic and fermionic vertex operators is asymmetri-
cal.
Nonetheless, it is possible to construct a conserved current j(z) on the worldsheet,
whose charge Q , dened by
I
(10:1) Q = dz j (z)
2 
IX.1
obeys the supersymmetry algebra of 10-dimensional space-time:
[P; P ] = [P ; Q ] = 0
(10:2)  P
fQ ; Q g = 2  (C 1)  P = 2  
Here P is the translation operator, and we use the Dirac algebra dened in Lecture 9.
For N = 2 supersymmetric theories such as Type II A, B, there will be an independent
supercharge Q0 arising from the z sector of the theory, whose discussion is analogous to
that of Q. The current j(z) is related to the Ramond vertex operator. To see this, we
notice that Q should map states of given M 2 into states of the same M 2 , and should
transform as a spinor. The R vertex operator, at zero space-time momentum, precisely has
these properties. Thus, we identify j(z) with
(10:3) j(z) = e =2 (z )S (z )

of ghost number 1=2 or

(10:4) j(z) = e=2 (  ) S 0  (z)@z x
of ghost number 1=2. Both are holomorphic and, with the help of
(10:5) e =2 (z)e=2 (w)  (z w1) 1=4

S(z)S 0   (z w )5=4
we nd
(10:6) j(z)j (w)  (  ) @z x z 1 w
and recover the superalgebra of Q and P upon integration.
Under the action of Q, vertex operators in the NS and R sectors are mapped into
one another. Considering left moving vertex operators for massless states, for example,
WNS (z; "; k) = " @z x eik
x
(10:7)
WR (z; u; k) = e =2 Sueik
x
where we have considered WNS in the picture with zero ghost number and WR in the
picture with ghost number 1=2. We have
[ Q ; WNS (z; "; k)] = WR (z; u; k)
(10:8)
[ Q ; WR(z; v; k)] = WNS (z; ; k)
IX.2
with
u = k  (  )   
(10:9)
 = v ( )  
Pictorially, we may represent this action by
jα

×
× =

W NS WR

and similarly for WR insertions.

From the action of supersymmetry, we obtain several important relations between
transition amplitudes. For the one-point function, we have

= = = 0
×
× ×

WB WF WF

by conservation of the current j(z). The only vertex operator that enters is the dilaton
at zero momentum, and the above argument now shows directly that this amplitude must
vanish, as we have indeed established to tree and one-loop level, by explicit calculation.
For the two point function, we obtain
WB WB WF
WB

× × ×
×

= = =

× × × ×

WB WF WF WF

By chiral symmetry, the WF two point function must vanish for massless fermions, and
hence the WB two point function must also vanish, as we have indeed established to tree
and one-loop level, by explicit calculation.
IX.3
 It is hoped that the use of the supersymmetry currents will ultimately allow one to
show that superstring theory in the RNS formulation is nite ot all orders, but subtleties
with the superghost system have prevented us so far from carrying out this program in
full.
x10.2. The Green-Schwarz formulation
The string degrees of freedom in the Green-Schwarz (GS) formulation of superstring
theory (in D space-time dimensions) are
(1) the bosonic coordinate x ,  = 0; 1; : : : ; D 1
(2) the fermionic coordinate I
The x coordinates are as before. The I coordinates are spinors under Spin(1; D 1),
labeled by the spin index , with I = 1; 2; : : : ; N describing the degree of extension of
the supersymmetry algebra of the Poincare group. I are Grassmann valued worldsheet
scalars. For simplicity, we shall assume that Spin(1; D 1) admits Majorana spinors, and
we shall use Majorana notation. (For D = 10, I are Majorana-Weyl spinors, with N = 1
for Type I and heterotic and N = 2 for Type II.)
Poincare supersymmetry acts on the coordinates x and I as follows (we use the
conventions of x9):
8 I
>
>
>
 = "I
<
(10:10) >
I = I
>
>
: 
x = iI  I
where "I is a constant set of Majorana spinors, labeled by I = 1; : : : ; N .
We seek a worldsheet action in terms of x and I for the various superstring theories,
that possesses manifest space-time supersymmetry as dened above.
As a warm-up, we obtain the action for a massless point particle, propagating on a
worldline L, parametrized by  (and _= dd ). To do so, we need a generalization of x_  that
has good supersymmetry transformation properties. The following combination is easily
seen to be invariant under supersymmetry
(10:11)   x_  iI  _I
IX.4
and the following worldline action is susy invariant as well as Diff (L)-invariant:
Z
(10:12) S= d e 1( )(x_  iI _I )2
L
Here, e is the worldline metric. The variational equations are

(10:13) 2 = 0; _  = 0;   _I = 0

Interpreting  as particle momentum, we nd that the particle propagates with constant

momentum, that it is massless, and that because (
)2 = 0, half of the J 's are uncon-
strained. This last property is due to the fact that S exhibits a further symmetry, called
-symmetry:
8
< I i
I
(10:14) x = iII  I

e = 4e_ I
:

The presence of -symmetry guarantees that only half of the 's are physical degrees of
freedom of the particle.
We now generalize the above construction to obtain a worldsheet action with space-
time supersymmetry. There is an obvious generalization of momentum, which is space-time
supersymmetric:

(10:15) m   @m x iI  @m I

Thus there is an obvious worldsheet action (with worldsheet metric g, which does not
transform under supersymmetry)
Z
(10:16) 1
S1[x; ] = 8 dg gmnm n  

invariant under Diff (), Weyl() and space-time supersymmetry. However, the -symmetry
of the point particle does not extend to S1. This is a problem, because in D = 10, N = 1
superstrings, e.g. we will now have 8 physical degrees of freedom of x , but 16 for . The
-symmetry is required to have the correct on-shell particle content of the string spectrum.
IX.5
 When N = 1; 2 or N = 1, the action S1 may be modied to S = S1 + S2 in such
a way that S is Diff (), Weyl(), space-time supersymmetric, but also invariant under
-supersymmetry. The additional part S2 is found to be
Z
1
S2[x; ] = 4

i dx ^ (1  d1 2  d2 )
(10:17) 
1 d1 ^ 2  d2
Actually, the space-time supersymmetry of S2 is not automatic. Restricting to N = 1 only
for simplicity, the "-transform of S2 yields
Z
(10:18) 1
S2 = 4 (  d ^   d i dx ^   d)

The second term in S2 is a total derivative and leads to no further requirements. The
vanishing of the rst term in S2 requires that a certain -matrix identity be satised:
(10:19)  1 ( 2  3 ) +  2 ( 3  1 ) +  3 ( 1  2 ) = 0

This identity can be realized in the following situations:

(i) D = 10;  Majorana-Weyl 8 's, 8 x's
(ii) D = 6;  Weyl 4 's, 4 x's
(10:20)
(iii) D = 4;  Majorana 2 's, 2 x's
(iv) D = 3;  Majorana 1 , 1 x :
(Note, for D = 6, certain formulas must be adapted, since the corresponding spinors  are
not Majorana.)
The -symmetry may be expressed in terms of a worldsheet vector Jm , which is also
a space-time spinor:
8
>
>
>
I = 2i
m Im
<
(10:21) >
x = I  I
>
>
:
gmn = :::
The worldsheet vector Im produces a 1-form I  Imdm with the following self-duality
properties
( 1
 = i 1
(10:22)  2 = i 2

IX.6
The -symmetry closes onto a combination involving a -symmetry, a Diff (), Weyl()
transformation, and an additional bosonic symmetry that has no dynamical consequences.
On a worldsheet with at metric g, the eld equations for g, x and  are
 z 2 = z2 = 0
(10:23)  @z (@zx 2i1  @z1 ) + @z(@z x 2i2  @z 2 ) = 0

  z @z1 =  z @z 2 = 0 :
These equations of motion are highly non-linear. As a result, quantization of the GS string
in covariant form is fraught with diculties, arising in particular from the fact that 's do
not have a standard kinetic term. No satisfactory approach exists to date.

x10.3. Lightcone gauge quantization of the GS Formulation

In the lightcone gauge, the non-linearities of the GS eld equations disappear, and
quantization may be carried out in complete parallel with the lightcone quantization of
the RNS string (Problem Set #9). As usual, we impose

(10:24) x+ = q+ + p+(z + z)

and assume that p+ 6= 0. (If p+ = 0, then by positivity of energy, we must have p = 0, and
we only have the vacuum state.) Hence

(10:25) +z = +z = p+

On-shell, we have 2z = 2z = 0, so at a given point on the worldsheet, we may rotate  so
that  = i = 0, with only p+ remaining as the only non-vanishing component. At that
point, the -transformation on I becomes

(10:26) I = 2i p+ (Iz + I z) :

Thus, by suitable -transformation, all I 's in the image of may be rotated away. Thus,
by -symmetry, we may impose the additional gauge choice

(10:27) + I =0
IX.7
This choice implies that the equations for @z1 and @z 2 simplify; to see this, multiply each
to the left by +, and use f +; g = 2:
(10:28) @z1 = @z 2 = 0
As a result, the equation for x linearizes as well
(10:29) @z @zx = 0 :
The only remaining non-linearity is the mass-shell constraint, given by
2z = 2p+z + iz iz = 0
(10:30)
2z = 2p+z + iziz = 0 :
As always in the lightcone gauge, the Lorentz group is reduced (in D = 10) to
SO(8), under which xi transforms as a vector 8v , while I (or more precisely, its eight
dimensional restriction S I ) transforms as a spinor of SO(8): 8s or 8c . These representations
are permuted into one another under triality of SO(8).
The lightcone quantization of the GS string is equivalent to the lightcone quantization
of the RNS superstring. Let us exhibit how this works on a cylinder, where the RNS eld +
has periodic boundary conditions, suitable to a space-time spinor state. In complete parallel
with the covariant construction of the Ramond vertex operator, we may construct S 1(z)
from +i (z) (and S 2(z) out of i (z )). One begins by bosonizing the Cartan generators
of SO(8) in the RNS representation:
(10:31) 2i 1 2i i@z i
+ (z ) + (z ) = i = 1; 2; 3; 4
Recall that the elds +i then have an exponential form in terms of i , with  weights
(10:32) p1 ( 2i 1 2i
+  i + )(z ) = e
ii
2
and the spin elds are also exponentials with  12 weights:
S1 (z) = ei
(z)
(10:33)

 =  21;  21;  12;  21
IX.8
The conformal weight of S1 (z) is now 21 2 = 12 ! This means that the lightcone gauge has
made S1 (z) into a worldsheet spinor.

x10.4. Flat superspace GS formulation

A more intrinsic formulation of the GS worldsheet action is obtained by expressing
it in superspace We concentrate on the D = 10, N = 2 case, for which superspace is of
dimension (10j32), with 32 Majorana spinor components. Coordinates are X M = (xm ; I ),
where m = 0; 1; : : : ; 9 and  = 1; : : : ; 16 while I = 1; 2 labels the two irreducible Majorana-
Weyl (MW) multiplets.
Flat superspace is characterized by a frame E A = dX M EM A where A = (a; I )
are frame indices, with a = 0; 1; : : : ; 9 labeling the dening representation of SO(1; 9), 
labeling the MW spinor of Spin(1; 9) and I = 1; 2. The Spin(1; 9) connection vanishes in
at superspace, and the superderivatives are
(10:34) DA = EAM @M @M  @X@ M
and they satisfy
(10:35) fDI ; DJ g = 2( a ) (C 1)  Da IJ
with all others commuting. The combination rm , encountered previously, has a very nat-
ural interpretation as a pull-back of the superspace frame E A to the worldsheet. Indeed
X  (E a)  Epadp = (@pxa iI a@pI )dp
(10:36)
X  (E I )  EpI dp = @p I dp
so that p a = Epa. This identication readily allows us to write the rst part of the GS
superstring action in superspace:
Z
(10:37) 1
S1[X ] = 8 dg gpq EpaEq bab

The second part of the GS action may be recast in the form of a Wess-Zumino-Witten
action. To show that this is indeed the case, we consider the following 3-form
(10:38) H  E a ^ (E 1 a ^ E 1 E 2 a ^ E 2)
IX.9
where we have used the notation E I  (E I )T 0 and suppressed spinor index contraction.
To construct a Wess-Zumino-Witten action, we require as usual that the form H be closed
dH = 0. This condition implies
0 = dH = dE a ^ (E 1 a ^ E 1 E 2 a ^ E 2)
= iI a dI (E 1 a ^ E 1 E 2 a ^ E 2)
(10:39) = i(E 1 aE 1 + E 2 aE 2)(E1 a ^ E 1 E 2 aE 2)
= i(E 1 aE 1E 1 a E 1 (1 ! 2))
= ( 0 a ) ( 0 a)  E 1E 1 E 1 (1 ! 2)
The last line vanishes since the wedge product of the E 1's is symmetry in ( ) in view
of the identity (10.19) we used to show that the S2 action is supersymmetric.
It is easy to show that H = db, where b is the 2-dimensional integrand of S2. Indeed,
H = (dxa ij adj ) ^ (d1 ad1 d2 ad2 )
= d(dxa (1 a d1 2 ad2 ))
(10:40)
i(1 a1 d1 a d1 2 ad2 d2 ad2 )
i2 ad2 d1 ad1 + 1 ad1 d2 ad2
Now, the second line again vanishes by the -identity (10.19), and the last term is a total
dierential:

(10:41) H = dfdxa (1 ad1 2 a d2 ) + i1 ad1 2 a d2 g
Identifying with the term in S2, we nd
Z
(10:42) i
S2[x] = 4 X  (H ) :
B
Finally, it is very instructive to exhibit the action of the -symmetry in the superspace
formulation. It turns out that the -symmetry is most easily expressed in terms of a
worldsheet scalar (space-time spinor)

(10:43)   i Epa a (p1 + p2)

IX.10
In terms of this parameter, one has
X M EM a  X a = 0
(10:44) X M EM 1 = (1 + )
X M EM 2 = (1 )
where the operator is dened by

(10:45)  p1 pq EpaEq bab

2 h
and h is such that 2 = I.

x10.5. Supergravity and low energy superstrings

We have shown in the rst part of this chapter that the RNS and GS formula-
tions of superstring theory exhibit 10-dimensional (global) Poincare supersymmetry, in
at Minkowski space-time M = R10.
Actually, superstring theory also exhibits Diff (M ) invariance when formulated on a
general manifold M . For the bosonic string, we had shown this in xVI by coupling bosonic
string theory to background elds, including the metric G , the anti-symmetry tensor
eld B and the dilaton , in a Diff (M ) covariant fashion. For the superstring, we may
again couple superstring theory to G , B and  in a Diff (M ) covariant way. The
relevant (N = 1 on the worldsheet) supersymmetric non-linear sigma model for the type
II superstrings is given by
Z
1
S [X ; G; B; ] = 4 dE D X  D+X  (G (X ) + iB (X ))
(10:46) Z

1
+ 4 dE R+ (X )

This worldsheet action denes the RNS superstring in an arbitrary space-time manifold
M , with the elds G , B and . (For the N = 1 theories, this sigma model must be
modied: for heterotic theories, one replaces D by @z and R+ by R+z , while for Type
I theories, the B coupling will not occur here, but will result from the R-R sector.)
IX.11
 Of course, it must be realized that for any of the superstrings, the elds G , B and
 do not correspond to the full set of massless states discussed in xVII and VIII. First of all,
there are additional space-time fermions: the gravitino and the dilatino. But, there are also
additional boson elds: in Type II theories, these are the R-R gauge elds; in heterotic and
Type I theories these are the Yang{Mills bosons. Following the discussion provided for the
study of bosonic strings, on general manifolds, with general background elds, we should
include in the non-linear sigma model all space-time background elds corresponding to
massless string states. The inclusion of fermions or R-R bose elds is complicated by the
fact that it requires the use of the Ramond vertex operator. Nonetheless, let us imagine
that such a formulation were used. (We shall exhibit it explicitly later, with the use of the
GS formulation.)
Now, since the superstring theory is covariant under Diff (M ) as well as under global
Poincare supersymmetry, it is fully expected that it will in fact be invariant under local su-
persymmetry transformations (also called supergravity transformations). This is expected
because the composition of Diff (M ) and Poincare supersymmetry transformations does
not close onto these, but does close onto local supersymmetry. (We have already exam-
ined in x9 how this happens in D = 2 within the context of super-Riemann surfaces.)
Field theories that are invariant under local supersymmetry transformations are so-called
supergravities.
In the low energy approximation, superstring theory can be approximated by the
spectrum and dynamics of its massless states only, summarized in terms of a local eld
theory. The massless sector of superstring theory will inherit invariance under local super-
symmetry, and will then be a supergravity.
The dynamics of the NS-NS sector of Type II A, B superstrings, in the massless
sector, will yield the part of the corresponding supergravity involving only the elds G ,
B and  (with the fermion elds and R-R elds set to zero). This dynamics may be
deduced directly from the above non-linear sigma model, and results from demanding that
its quantum dynamics be superconformal invariant. It turns out that the conditions of
superconformal invariance of S [X ; G; B; ] to leading order (i.e. two derivatives or fewer
IX.12
on fermion elds) are precisely the same as the condition found for the bosonic string,
except that D = 10 now. The eld equations for G, B and  could be deduced from an
action for those elds on the space-time manifold M :
Z  
(10:47) 1 1 H2 e
I1(G; B; ) = 2K 2 dG RG 4D D  + 12 2
M
Here, we have expressed the metric G in the string convention, so that an extra overall
factor of the dilaton coupling appears.
For the heterotic strings, the elds G, B and  result from the NS sector of the
left-movers coupled to the space-time part of the right movers, and the resulting action is
still given by I1 .

x10.6. Type IIA, D = 10, N = 2 and D = 11, N = 1 supergravities

We begin by discussing the low energy eld theory (at most 2 derivatives on bose
elds, at most 1 on fermion elds) associated with Type II Asuperstring theory, i.e. Type
II A, N = 2, D = 10 supergravity. The existence of this theory was predicted by Nahm,
based on representation theory of supersymmetry algebras and was constructed by Crem-
mer, Julia and Scherk, by dimensional reduction from the D = 11, N = 1 supergravity.
The Type II Aeld content is readily identied from xVII, 4:
 G =
9
space-time metric (equivalently frame em a)
 B ; NS-NS anti-symmetric NS-NS tensor
 
dilaton
 A(1)

 graviphoton
R-R
 A(3)
 rank 3 anti-symmetric tensor
 32 component Majorana gravitino
  R-NS and NS-R 32 component Majorana dilatino
 
(both contain both chiralities.)
The action I1 corresponds to the dynamics in which A(1) = A(3) =  =  = 0, and we now
seek the generalization of I1 that also describes the remaining elds.
IX.13
 It turns out that the easiest way to do this is to reorganize the eld contents in such
a way that it manifestly results from dimensional reduction of an D = 11 supergravity
theory with N = 1 supersymmetry. The precise statement is that the low energy limit of
the D = 11 supergravity, compactied on a circle with small radius, is precisely the Type
II Asupergravity. This re-organization of eld variables is advantageous because it will turn
out that the N = 1, D = 11 supergravity is described by a relatively simple Lagrangian in
terms of relatively few elds.
We begin by showing that the eld contents may be organized according to multiplets
of Spin(1; 10). We use space-time indices ; ; : : : = 0; 1; : : : ; 9 and ;  = 0; 1; : : : ; 9; 10. We
denote the compactied coordinate by x10. Upon dimensional reduction on a circle, the
only parts that survive to the low energy approximation of the D = 10 theory are the
elds that are independent of x10 . Indeed, x10 -dependence renders the elds massive, with
mass on the order of 1=R.
A metric tensor in D = 11 decomposes as follows:
(10:48) G (x ; x10 ) ! G (x )
Under the action of SO(1; 10), this multiplet is irreducible, but under SO(1; 9), we nd
 !    
, so that the objects of Type II Atheory that naturally t into the
D = 11 metric multiplet are
(10:49)  ; ) ! G
(G ; A(1)
Proceeding analogously for an anti-symmetric rank 3 tensor
(10:50) A(x ; x10 ) ! A(x )
and under SO(1; 10), this tensor is again irreducible, but decomposes under SO(1; 9) as

 
 
!    ;
so that
(10:51)  ; B ) ! A
(A(3)
IX.14
Thus, all the NS-NS and R-R bosons t into two elds: G and A.
The spinors also t together. The smallest dimensional representation of a spinor
of Spin(1; 10) is a Majorana spinor of dimension 32. Under Spin(1; 9), it will reduce into
2 Majorana-Weyl spinors of opposite chirality, and this is precisely what we need for
Type II A, where the gravitino as well as the dilatino are non-chiral Majorana spinors.
Furthermore, the dilatino may be appended to   as its 11-th component:

(10:52) (  ; ) !  :

x10.6.1 N = 1, D = 11 supergravity
Based upon general arguments by Nahm, the largest possible dimension D in which
supersymmetric multiplets can exist with spin  2 only is D = 11, with a single local
supersymmetry. Its eld contents are precisely the ones that we have described above:
 G (equiv. e a ) graviton: 44 states
 A U (1)gauge eld: 84 states
  gravitino: 128 states:
The dimensional reduction is carried out by setting x10 dependence to zero, and by letting
G decompose as

(10:53) G ; G10 = G10 = A(1)

 G10 10 = e 2

which yields the action I1 when A(1) (3)

 = 0, and A =  =  = 0. The normalization of
the eld strength H = dB of B in I1 provides a normalization of the eld strength F = dA
in the D = 11 supergravity theory. The remaining terms are xed by local supersymmetry
invariance.
The full Lagrangian is obtained by seeking N = 1 local supersymmetry and was
established by Cremmer, Julia and Scherk:
Z p
(10:54) 1
I (G; A; ) = 22  dGL 2  Z A^F ^F
M 3456 M
IX.15
where L is given by
L = RG + 121 2F 2 + 2 D 
(10:55) p 3
2

+ 384  ! ! + 12   (F + Fb)
In this action, we have used the standard notation
1 :::  [1 2 : : :  ]

where the square brackets stand for complete anti-symmetrization of the indices. F = dA
was dened previously, and
Fb = F + -terms
such that the supersymmetry variation of Fb does not contain derivatives of  | the susy
parameter. D is the covariant derivative with respect to 12 (!M + !bM ) where
(10:58) !bab = !ab + 18  ab
and ! is the spin connection, which is determined by its equation of motion. For com-
pleteness, we record the supergravity transformations:
e a = 2  a 
p
(10:59) A = 82  []
p
1 0 2

 =  D  + 288    8    Fb 

The covariant derivative D0 is here dened with the connections !b.

x10.6.2 Type II Asupergravity
The Type II Asupergravity Lagrangian may now be deduced from D = 11 supergrav-
ity by the compactication and dimensional reduction discussed previously. The reduction
of the metric G was already given; the reduction of the A eld proceeds by
A =  14 A(3)

(10:60)
A10 = 1 B
IX.16
The bosonic part of the Type II Asupergravity is then
III A (G; B; ; A(1) ; A(3))
Z
1
= 22 dG e
n
2
 1 H 2
RG 4D D  + 12
M
(10:61) p p 1 F 2o
+  G2A +  12
p Z
2882 B ^ F ^ F
M
here GA = dA(1), H = dB, F = dA(3). Notice that the R-R part of the action does not
occur with the dilaton rescaling factor e 2 ; thus, these contributions are in some sense of
order 1 in the string loop expansion.

x10.7. Type II B, D = 10, N = 2 supergravity

The Type II Beld contents are as follows (see Lecture 7).
 G (equiv. e a) graviton.
 B + i A(2)
 complex rank 2 antisymmetric tensor.
  + iA (0) complex dilaton-axion.
 A(4)
K real, self-dual F = dA(4):
  (chirality+) complex Majorana-Weyl spinor gravitino:
  (chirality ) complex Majorana-Weyl spinor dilatino:
Clearly, the eld contents do not arise from a simple dimensional reduction, since the spinor
content is chiral here. In fact, since the theory contains a self-dual eld, F , no o-shell
Lorentz-covariant formulation is known for this theory.
The eld equations may be written covariantly though, either in components or in
superspace. The gauge group is Spin(1; 9)  U (1)R and the complex dilaton-axion eld
 + i A(0) lives in SU(1; 1)=U (1)R .

x10.8. Type I { Heterotic, D = 10, N = 1 supergravities

Both for the Type I and for the heterotic theories, we have only a single space-time
supersymmetry: N = 1. However, both theories now also have an N = 1 super-Yang{Mills
multiplet, which we shall have to include.
IX.17
 The eld contents of the N = 1 supergravity multiplet are obtained (say for the
heterotic string) by considering the left-moving part of Type II, tensored with the right-
moving 10-dimensional part of the bosonic string. The corresponding elds are
 G space-time metric
 B real rank 2 anti-symmetric tensor
  real dilaton
   1 Majorana-Weyl (real) gravitino (+ chirality)
  1 Majorana-Weyl (real) dilatino ( chirality)
the Lagrangian for this theory exists (since there are no elds with self-dual eld strength)
and may be obtained from the Type II Atheory by setting
(10:62) A(1) (3)
 = A = 0  =  + = 0
where the  indicates the chirality. This truncation is consistent with the eld equations
of Type II A, since both A(1) and A(3) occur quadratically in the bosonic Lagrangian,
and since the fermionic Lagrangian does not mix between chiralities. We limit ourselves to
examining only the bosonic action of the supergravity multiplet, and notice immediately
that it must be just I1. The fermionic part may be deduced from the D = 11 supergravity
Lagrangian by the above dimensional reductions and restrictions.
The eld contents of the N = 1 super Yang{Mills multiplet are obtained (again for
the heterotic string) by considering the left-moving part of the Type II string, tensored
with the right-moving internal part of the bosonic string. The corresponding elds are
 A gauge eld of E8  E8 or Spin(32)=Z2 = G
(adjoint rep.)
 gaugino of E8  E8 or Spin(32)=Z2 = G
(adjoint rep.)
The dynamics are governed by the action (in at M , with G = )
Z  
(10:63) 0
IY M = dG 4 F F 1 a a 1  (D )
a  a
M 2
which is global N = 1 Poincare supersymmetry invariant. Here, we use the notation (a =
1; : : : ; dim G) and
(10:64) A = Aa ta dx F = dA + gA ^ A = 21 Fa ta dx dx :

IX.18
 It remains to construct an action with N = 1 local supersymmetry, that combines
both the supergravity multiplet and the super-Yang{Mills multiplet. First, the action IY0 M
is adapted as follows.
Z  
(10:65) 1
IY M =  dG e 2 1 a a 1 a  a
M 4 F F 2 D
For G = U (1) gauge theory, I1 + IY M + the fermionic terms of the supergravity multiplet
yield an N = 1 susy action. For non-Abelian G, this is not so, and the form of the B-eld
strength H in I1 must be modied as follows:
(10:66) He = dB p !3 (A)
2
Here, !3(A) is the so-called Chern-Simons form of degree 3:
 
(10:67) 2
!3(A)  tr A ^ dA + 3 gA ^ A ^ A ;
with the properties that
d!3(A) = tr F ^ F
(10:68)
!3 (A) = tr(d ^ dA) under  A = d + [A; ] :
To render He gauge invariant under non-Abelian transformation in G, B must transform
as
 B = p trdA
2
The supergravity + super Yang{Mills action is now (for bosons)
(10:69) Z     
1
I = 2K 2 dG e 2  1
RG + 4D D  12 He + e 2 2 1 a a
M 4 F F
where the rst part coincides with I1, except for the fact that H has been replaced with
its G-invariant version He .

x10.9. Superspace formulation of supergravities in D = 11 and D = 10

In x10.6, x10.7 and x10.8, we have discussed supergravities in D = 11 and D =
10 in the component formulation. While supersymmetry invariance transformations of
IX.19
these actions are known, there is the problem that the composition of two supergravity
transformations closes onto Diff (M ) only upon the use of the equations of motion. Also,
the supergravity invariance is not manifest.
The superspace approach provides a formulation in which Diff (M ) and local su-
persymmetry transformations appear on the same footing and are united into the group
of dieomorphisms of superspace. However, the superspace formulation in D = 11 and
D = 10 supergravity | and super Yang-Mills-theory | is known only for the equations of
motion. No superspace action is known that describes the o-shell congurations as well.
To exhibit local supersymmetric covariant coupling of superstrings to supergravity,
it is most convenient to make use of the superspace formulation of supergravity, as we
shall show in the next section. For this issue, the fact that only the on-shell formulation is
available causes no problem. In fact, already superstring theory itself, and as we showed
previously, Type II Bsupergravity, do not admit an o-shell formulation; it is thus perhaps
not so surprising that superspace supergravity does not either.

N = 1, D = 11 supergravity in superspace
From many points of view, the D = 11 theory is the simplest theory, and we shall
begin by giving its formulation. The superspace data are as follows: local supercoordinates
X M = (xm ;  ), with m = 0; 1; : : : ; 10 and  = 1; : : : ; 32 parametrize a real supermanifold
M of dimension (11j32). The elds are most conveniently expressed as

 E A = dX M EM A
(10:70) 
A B = dX M
MA B
1
 X = E C ^ E B ^ E A XABC
3!

Here, A, B, C sum over frame indices: (a; ), (b;  ), (c; ) a; b; c = 0; 1; : : : 10; ; ; =

1; : : : ; 32, and transform under the dening representation and the Majorana spinor rep-
resentations of Spin(1; 10), respectively. The eld E A is a frame, belonging to
1 (M ); the
eld
AB is a Spin(1; 10) connection, which admits the following decomposition under
IX.20
Spin(1; 10):

ab =
ba
b =
 = 0
(10:71)

 = 1{4( ab)
ab
Finally X is a 3 form in superspace, and a Spin(1; 10) invariant. It contains the rank 3
eld A(3)
.
Curvature, torsion and X eld strength are dened by
 
TA  dE A + E B ^
B A 1
 {2 E ^E TBC
c B A
 
(10:72) RA B  d
A B +
AC ^
C B  1{2 E D ^E cRCD;AB

H  dX  4!1 E D^E C ^E B ^E A^HABCD :
These elds satisfy Bianchi identities

(a) DT A = E B ^RB A
(10:73) (b) DRA B = 0
(c) dH = 0:
written in dierential form notation. It is most convenient to write these Bianchi iden-
tities out in terms of the Spin(1; 10) tensors TAB C , RAB;C D and HABCD ; (parentheses
(ABC : : : ) stand for cyclic, graded summation of indices)
P
(a) (RABC D DA TBC D TAB E TEC D ) = 0
(ABC )P
(b) (DA RBCDE + TAB F RFCD E ) = 0
(ABC )
(10:74) (c)
P
(DA HBCDE + TAB F HFCDE )
(ABCDE ) P
( )BC+BD+CE TAD F HFBEC = 0
(ADBEC )

This geometry is too general, and contains many more elds than are necessary for the
D = 11 supergravity theory that we constructed in components. We must impose suitable
\constraint equations". (We already encountered this problem in D = 2, N = 1 supergrav-
ity, where certain constraints were also to be imposed, see x9.1.) The choice of constraints is
IX.21
dictated by the structure of the component elds that one expects to remain after the con-
straints have been imposed, by dimensional analysis, and of course by Lorentz invariance.
We shall limit ourselves here to quoting the results from Brink and Howe (1980):
T = Tbc = Tabc = 0; T c = i( c )
(10:75)
H  = H c = Hbcd = 0; Hcd = i( cd )
It can be shown that all the torsion constraints can be solved in terms of a single supereld
Habcd. We shall not list out the various components here, but limit ourselves to providing
the two eld equations that result. We introduce
(10:76) Rab = cdRacbd R = abRab
and have the equations of motion
Rab = 21 abR = 121 HacdeHbcde + 961 abHcdef H cdef
(10:77)
Da Habcd = 17281 bcde :::e f :::f HJ e1 :::e4 H f1 :::f4
1 4 1 4

Retaining only the  = 0 part of these equations, we readily observe that they are the
bosonic eld equations that would also have been obtained from the component formula-
tion.
We conclude by remarking that the D = 10, N = 2 Type II Asupergravity may
be obtained again by dimensional reduction. The resulting formulation is rather involved.
There also exist a superspace formulation for Type II Bsupergravity.
N = 1, D = 10 supergravity in superspace
The superspace data are as follows: local supercoordinates X M = (xm ;  ), with
m = 0; 1; : : : ; 9 and  = 1; : : : 16, parametrize a real supermanifold of dimension (10j16).
The fundamental elds are

(10:78)  E A = dX M EM A

AB = dX M
MAB
where A,B run over frame indices: (a; ), (b;  ), a; b = 0; 1; : : : ; 9 and ;  = 1; : : : ; 16. The
spinors here transform under a single Majorana-Weyl representation of Spin(1; 9). Notice
IX.22
that there is no further anti-symmetric tensor as there was in D = 11. The B eld that
occurs in D = 10, N = 1 supergravity is contained in the elds E A and
A B . The eld

AB is again a spin connection, but now for Spin(1; 9), acting on the direct sum of the
dening representation and the Majorana-Weyl representation:

ab =
ba
b =
a = 0
(10:79)

 = 14 ( ab)
ab
Torsion and curvature are dened by


T A  dE A + E B ^
B A  12 E C ^E B TBC A
(10:80)

RAB  d
AB +
AC ^
C B  21 E D ^E C RCDAB :
As in the case of D = 11, N = 1, these quantities satisfy Bianchi identities
(10:81) DT A = E B ^ RB A DRA B = 0 :
(A component decomposition for these equations is given in (10.74).)
Again, this geometry is too general, and torsion constraints should be imposed. The
choice of constraints is not unique, and depends upon the choice of connection, among
others. The constraints here were rst derived by Nilsson, and reformulated by Witten:
T = Tbc = 0 T c = 2 c
(10:82)
T = ( a )  for some 
One may show that the resulting elds, after elimination of all auxiliary elds, are precisely
those of the N = 1 supergravity multiplet in D = 10, with the same equations of motion
as those that we obtained from the component formulation.

x10.10. Local supersymmetric coupling of superstrings to supergravity

It is now very easy to produce a GS worldsheet action, formulated in superspace, that
couples in a manifestly locally supersymmetric way to the superspace elds of supergravity
in D = 10. For simplicity, we consider the case with N = 1 supersymmetry only.
Recall that the at superspace action was
Z Z
1 pq a b i
S [X ] = 8 dg g Ep Ea ab 4 X  (H )
 B
IX.23
where Epadp  X  (E a) is the pullback to X of E a, and where @B = , and H was a
closed 3-form on M . The form of H was dictated by the condition that we had to have
-symmetry in order to obtain the correct spectrum.
In general curved superspace backgrounds, we may again propose S [X ] as a suitable
action, provided the superspace geometry admits a closed 3-form H , and upon inserting a
factor of a scalar supereld k:
Z
1
S [X ] = 8 dg gpq EpaEq babe4k i Z X  (H )
 4 B
where Epadp = X  (E a), just as in the at superspace case. The supereld k cannot be
arbitrary, of course.
It can be shown that when the torsion constraints for N = 1, D = 10 supergravity
are satised, then there exists a natural closed 3-form H , such that S [X ] is invariant under
-symmetry. In other words, if we assume (locally) that H = dB, then the requirement
of -invariance demands that certain torsion constraints are satised. Up to equivalences,
these constraints are precisely the torsion constraints.

IX.24