Related papers: Supersymmetric Backgrounds, the Killing Superalgeb…

We study the effect of S-duality and target-space duality tranformations of $N=4,d=4$ and $N=1,d=10$ supersymmetric configurations on their Killing spinors. We find that, under reasonable assumptions, the dual configurations are also…

We construct superconformal gauged sigma models with extended rigid supersymmetry in three dimensions. Those with N>4 have necessarily flat targets, but the models with N \leq 4 admit non-flat targets, which are cones with appropriate…

We analyze the AdS_3 x M_7 type supersymmetric solutions, including non-trivial fluxes, of the Killing spinor equations in the heterotic supergravity. We classify these solutions by their G-structures and intrinsic torsions, for the cases…

We define the ordinary Minkowski space inside the conformal space according to Penrose and Manin as homogeneous spaces for the Poincar\'e and conformal group respectively. We realize the supersymmetric (SUSY) generalizations of such…

We solve the Killing spinor equations of standard and massive IIA supergravities for a Killing spinor whose isotropy subgroup in Spin(9, 1) is SU(4) and identify the geometry of the spacetime. We demonstrate that the Killing spinor…

Up to overall harmonic factors, the D8-brane solution of the massive type IIA supergravity theory is the product of nine-dimensional Minkowski space (the worldvolume) with the real line (the transverse space). We show that the equations of…

We review the classification of supersymmetric solutions to minimal gauged supergravity in four dimensions. After a short introduction to the main features of the theory, we explain how to obtain all its solutions admitting a Killing…

Gauging isometries of four-dimensional N=2 supergravity theories yields an N=2 supersymmetric theory with a scalar potential. In this note, we study the well-known constraints for four-dimensional N=2 Minkowski vacua of such theories. We…

We analyze supersymmetric solutions of M-theory based an a seven-dimensional internal space with SU(3) structure and a four-dimensional maximally symmetric space. The most general supersymmetry conditions are derived and we show that a…

In the main part of this thesis, we present the foundations and initial results of the Spinorial Geometry formalism for solving Killing spinor equations. This method can be used for any supergravity theory, although we largely focus on D=11…

Supersymmetric bosonic backgrounds governed by first-order BPS equations, can be realised in a much broader setting by relaxing the requirement of closure of the superalgebra beyond the level of quadratic fermion terms. The resulting…

We study simple space-time symmetry groups G which act on a space-time manifold M=G/H which admits a G-invariant global causal structure. We classify pairs (G,M) which share the following additional properties of conformal field theory: 1)…

Killing forms on Riemannian manifolds are differential forms whose covariant derivative is totally skew-symmetric. We show that on a compact manifold with holonomy G2 or Spin7 any Killing form has to be parallel. The main tool is a…

We study the deformation theory of nearly $\mathrm{G}_2$ manifolds. These are seven dimensional manifolds admitting real Killing spinors. We show that the infinitesimal deformations of nearly $\mathrm{G}_2$ structures are obstructed in…

In these lectures the relations between symmetries, Lie algebras, Killing vectors and Noether's theorem are reviewed. A generalisation of the basic ideas to include velocity-dependend co-ordinate transformations naturally leads to the…

We describe a new class of supersymmetric string compactifications to 4d Minkowski space. These solutions involve type II strings propagating on (orientifolds of) non Calabi-Yau spaces in the presence of background NS and RR fluxes. The…

We present all isotropy groups and associated $\Sigma$ groups, up to discrete identifications of the component connected to the identity, of spinors of eleven-dimensional and type II supergravities. The $\Sigma$ groups are products of a…

We describe spinors in Minkowskian spaces with arbitrary signature and their role in the classification of space-time superalgebras and their R-symmetries in any dimension.

A general covariant quantization of superparticle, Green-Schwarz superstring and a supermembrane with manifest supersymmetry and duality symmetry is proposed. This quantization provides a natural quantum mechanical description of curved…

We investigate the relationship between conformal and spin structure on lorentzian manifolds and see how their compatibility influences the formulation of rigid supersymmetric field theories. In dimensions three, four, six and ten, we show…