No Arabic abstract
Recently, a nilpotent real scalar superfield $V$ was introduced in arXiv:1702.02423 as a model for the Goldstino. It contains only two independent component fields, the Goldstino and the auxiliary $D$-field. Here we first show that $V$ can equivalently be realised as a constrained three-form superfield. We demonstrate that every irreducible Goldstino superfield (of which the Goldstino is the only independent component field) can be realised as a descendant of $V$ which is invariant under local rescalings $V to {rm e}^tau V$, where $tau$ is an arbitrary real scalar superfield. We next propose a new Goldstino supermultiplet which is described by a nilpotent three-form superfield $cal Y$ that is a variant formulation for the nilpotent chiral superfield, which is often used in off-shell models for spontaneously broken supergravity. It is shown that the action describing the dynamics of $cal Y$ may be obtained from a supersymmetric nonlinear $sigma$-model in the infrared limit. Unlike $V$, the Goldstino superfield $cal Y$ contains two independent auxiliary fields, $F= H+{rm i} G$, of which $H$ is a scalar and $G$ is the field strength of a gauge three-form. When $cal Y$ is coupled to supergravity, both $H$ and $G$ produce positive contributions to the cosmological constant. While the contribution from $H$ is uniquely determined by the parameter of the supersymmetry breaking in the action, the contribution from $G$ is dynamical.
We elaborate on integrable dynamical systems from scalar-gravity Lagrangians that include the leading dilaton tadpole potentials of broken supersymmetry. In the static Dudas-Mourad compactifications from ten to nine dimensions, which rest on these leading potentials, the string coupling and the space-time curvature become unbounded in some regions of the internal space. On the other hand, the string coupling remains bounded in several corresponding solutions of these integrable models. One can thus identify corrected potential shapes that could grant these features generically when supersymmetry is absent or non-linearly realized. On the other hand, large scalar curvatures remain present in all our examples. However, as in other contexts, the combined effects of the higher-derivative corrections of String Theory could tame them.
We discuss the possibility of finding scenarios, within type IIB string theory compactified on Calabi-Yau orientifolds with fluxes, for realizing gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking. We find that while in principle such scenarios are not ruled out, in practice it is hard to get acceptable constructions, since typically, supersymmetry breaking cannot be separated from the stabilization of the light modulus.
Starting from a peculiar orientifold projection proposed long ago by Angelantonj and Cardella, we elaborate on a novel perturbative scenario that involves only D-branes, together with the two types of orientifold planes ${rm O}_{pm}$ and anti-orientifold planes $overline{{rm O}}_{pm}$. We elucidate the microscopic ingredients of such models, connecting them to a novel realization of brane supersymmetry breaking. Depending on the position of the D-branes in the internal space, supersymmetry can be broken at the string scale on branes, or alternatively only at the massive level. The main novelty of this construction is that it features no NS-NS disk tadpoles, while avoiding open-string instabilities. The one-loop potential, which depends on the positions of the D-branes, is minimized for maximally broken, nonlinearly realized supersymmetry. The orientifold projection and the effective field theory description reveal a soft breaking of supersymmetry in the closed-string sector. In such models it is possible to decouple the gravitino mass from the value of the scalar potential, while avoiding brane instabilities.
Using the components of real and chiral superfields subject to an internal U(N)xU(N) gauge symmetry, an action is constructed in which the gauginos are in a different representation of the group than the gauge bosons. This action with broken supersymmetry satisfies criteria that ensure that it is free of quadratic divergences to all orders. A two-loop calculation provides insight as to how cancellations of quadratic divergences manifest themselves at that level of perturbation theory.
We study properties of moduli stabilization in the four dimensional N = 1 supergravity theory with heavy moduli and would-be saxion-axion multiplets including light string-theoretic axions. We give general formulation for the scenario that heavy moduli and saxions are stabilized while axions remain light, assuming that moduli are stabilized near the supersymmetric solution. One can find stable vacuum, i.e. non-tachyonic saxions, in the non-supersymmetric Minkowski vacua. We also discuss the cases, where the moduli are coupled to the supersymmetry breaking sector and/or moduli have contributions to supersymmetry breaking. We also study the models with axions originating from matter-like fields. Our analysis on moduli stabilization is applicable even if there are not light axion multiplets.