E8(8)_{8(8)} Exceptional Field Theory: Geometry, Fermions and Supersymmetry

We present the supersymmetric extension of the recently constructed E$_{8(8)}$ exceptional field theory -- the manifestly U-duality covariant formulation of the untruncated ten- and eleven-dimensional supergravities. This theory is formulated on a (3+248) dimensional spacetime (modulo section constraint) in which the extended coordinates transform in the adjoint representation of E$_{8(8)}$. All bosonic fields are E$_{8(8)}$ tensors and transform under internal generalized diffeomorphisms. The fermions are tensors under the generalized Lorentz group SO(1,2)$\times$SO(16), where SO(16) is the maximal compact subgroup of E$_{8(8)}$. Vanishing generalized torsion determines the corresponding spin connections to the extent they are required to formulate the field equations and supersymmetry transformation laws. We determine the supersymmetry transformations for all bosonic and fermionic fields such that they consistently close into generalized diffeomorphisms. In particular, the covariantly constrained gauge vectors of E$_{8(8)}$ exceptional field theory combine with the standard supergravity fields into a single supermultiplet. We give the complete extended Lagrangian and show its invariance under supersymmetry. Upon solution of the section constraint the theory reduces to full D=11 or type IIB supergravity.Comment: 25 page

Integrable structures in classical off-shell 10D supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

The superspace flatness conditions which are equivalent to the field equations of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in ten dimensions have not been useful so far to derive non trivial classical solutions. Recently, modified flatness conditions were proposed, which are explicitly integrable (hep-th/9811108), and are based on the breaking of symmetry SO(9,1) -> SO(2,1)xSO(7). In this article, we investigate their physical content. To this end, group-algebraic methods are developed which allow to derive the set of physical fields and their equations of motion from the superfield expansion of the supercurl, systematically. A set of integrable superspace constraints is identified which drastically reduces the field content of the unconstrained superfield but leaves the spectrum including the original Yang-Mills vector field completely off-shell. A weaker set of constraints gives rise to additional fields obeying first order differential equations. Geometrically, the SO(7) covariant superspace constraints descend from a truncation of Witten's original linear system to particular one-parameter families of light-like rays.Comment: 43 pages, 4 figures. Improved version for publicatio

Rigid supersymmetric theories in 4d Riemannian space

We consider rigid supersymmetric theories in four-dimensional Riemannian spin manifolds. We build the Lagrangian directly in Euclidean signature from the outset, keeping track of potential boundary terms. We reformulate the conditions for supersymmetry as a set of conditions on the torsion classes of a suitable SU(2) or trivial G-structure. We illustrate the formalism with a number of examples including supersymmetric backgrounds with non-vanishing Weyl tensor.Comment: 26 page

Actions for Non-Abelian Twisted Self-Duality

International audienceThe dynamics of abelian vector and antisymmetric tensor gauge fields can be described in terms of twisted self-duality equations. These first-order equations relate the p-form fields to their dual forms by demanding that their respective field strengths are dual to each other. It is well known that such equations can be integrated to a local action that carries on equal footing the p-forms together with their duals and is manifestly duality invariant. Space-time covariance is no longer manifest but still present with a non-standard realization of space-time diffeomorphisms on the gauge fields. In this paper, we give a non-abelian generalization of this first-order action by gauging part of its global symmetries. The resulting field equations are non-abelian versions of the twisted self-duality equations. A key element in the construction is the introduction of proper couplings to higher-rank tensor fields. We discuss possible applications (to Yang-Mills and supergravity theories) and comment on the relation to previous no-go theorems

U-duality covariant gravity

We extend the techniques of double field theory to more general gravity theories and U-duality symmetries, having in mind applications to the complete D=11 supergravity. In this paper we work out a (3+3)-dimensional `U-duality covariantization' of D=4 Einstein gravity, in which the Ehlers group SL(2,R) is realized geometrically, acting in the 3 representation on half of the coordinates. We include the full (2+1)-dimensional metric, while the `internal vielbein' is a coset representative of SL(2,R)/SO(2) and transforms under gauge transformations via generalized Lie derivatives. In addition, we introduce a gauge connection of the `C-bracket', and a gauge connection of SL(2,R), albeit subject to constraints. The action takes the form of (2+1)-dimensional gravity coupled to a Chern-Simons-matter theory but encodes the complete D=4 Einstein gravity. We comment on generalizations, such as an `$E_{8(8)}$ covariantization' of M-theory.Comment: 36 pages, v2: refs. added, to appear in JHE

Fermions and Supersymmetry in E6(6)\rm E_{6(6)} Exceptional Field Theory

We construct the supersymmetric completion of E$_{6(6)}$-covariant exceptional field theory. The theory is based on a $(5+27)$-dimensional generalized space-time subject to a covariant section constraint. The fermions are tensors under the local Lorentz group ${\rm SO}(1,4)\times {\rm USp}(8)$ and transform as weighted scalars under the E$_{6(6)}$ (internal) generalized diffeomorphisms. We present the complete Lagrangian and prove its invariance under supersymmetry. Upon explicit solution of the section constraint the theory embeds full $D=11$ supergravity and IIB supergravity, respectively.Comment: 23 pages + Appendi