Supergravity in Two Spacetime Dimensions

Abstract

The constraints of the superfield method in two-dimensional supergravity are adapted to allow for nonvanishing bosonic torsion. As the analysis of the Bianchi identities reveals, a new vector superfield is encountered besides the well-known scalar one. The constraints are solved both with superfields using a special decomposition of the supervielbein, and explicitly in terms of component fields in a Wess-Zumino gauge. The graded Poisson Sigma Model (gPSM) is the alternative method used to construct supersymmetric gravity theories. In this context the graded Jacobi identity is solved algebraically for general cases. Some of the Poisson algebras obtained are singular, or several potentials contained in them are restricted. This is discussed for a selection of representative algebras. It is found, that the gPSM is far more flexible and it shows the inherent ambiguity of the supersymmetric extension more clearly than the superfield method. Among the various models spherically reduced Einstein gravity and gravity with torsion are treated. Also the Legendre transformation to eliminate auxiliary fields, superdilaton theories and the explicit solution of the gPSM equations of motion for a typical model are presented. Furthermore, the PSM field equations are analyzed in detail, leading to the so called "symplectic extension". Thereby, the Poisson tensor is extended to become regular by adding new coordinates to the target space. For gravity models this is achieved with one additional coordinate. Finally, the relation of the gPSM to the superfield method is established by extending the base manifold to become a supermanifold.