Related papers: Special Holonomy and Two-Dimensional Supersymmetri…
A study of (1,1) supersymmetric two-dimensional non-linear sigma models with boundary on special holonomy target spaces is presented. In particular, the consistency of the boundary conditions under the various symmetries is studied. Models…
In addition to superconformal symmetry, (1,1) supersymmetric two-dimensional sigma models on special holonomy manifolds have extra symmetries that are in one-to-one correspondence with the covariantly constant forms on these manifolds. The…
On a supersymmetric sigma model the covariantly constant forms are related to the conserved currents that are generators of a super W-algebra extending the superconformal algebra. The existence of covariantly constant forms restricts the…
Supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models have target spaces that carry interesting geometry. The geometry is richer the more supersymmetries the model has. The study of models with two dimensional world sheets is particularly rewarding since…
The symmetries of two-dimensional supersymmetric sigma models on target spaces with covariantly constant forms associated to special holonomy groups are analysed. It is shown that each pair of such forms gives rise to a new one, called a…
This is a pedagogical exposition of holonomy groups intended for physicists. After some pertinent definitions, we focus on special holonomy manifolds, two per division algebras, and comment upon several cases of interest in physics,…
The Hilbert spaces of supersymmetric systems admit symmetries which are often related to the topology and geometry of the (target) field-space. Here, we study certain (2,2)-supersymmetric systems in 2-dimensional spacetime which are closely…
Inspired by superstring field theory, we study differential, integral, and inverse forms and their mutual relations on a supermanifold from a sheaf-theoretical point of view. In particular, the formal distributional properties of integral…
The moduli space of the Calabi-Yau three-folds, which play a role as superstring ground states, exhibits the same {\em special geometry} that is known from nonlinear sigma models in $N=2$ supergravity theories. We discuss the symmetry…
We review non-linear sigma-models with (2,1) and (2,2) supersymmetry. We focus on off-shell closure of the supersymmetry algebra and give a complete list of (2,2) superfields. We provide evidence to support the conjecture that all N=(2,2)…
N = 2 supersymmetry in four space-time dimensions is intimately related to hyperkahler and quaternionic Kahler geometries. On one hand, the target spaces for rigid supersymmetric sigma-models are necessarily hyperkahler manifolds. On the…
We discuss additional supersymmetries for N = (2, 2) supersymmetric non-linear sigma models described by left and right semichiral superfields.
Irreducible sigma models, i.e. those for which the partition function does not factorise, are defined on Riemannian spaces with irreducible holonomy groups. These special geometries are characterised by the existence of covariantly constant…
A new symmetry of $(1,0)$ supersymmetric non-linear $\sigma$-models in two dimensions with Fermi and mass sectors is introduced. It is a generalisation of the so-called special holonomy $W$-symmetry of Howe and Papadopoulos associated with…
For the most general off-shell N = 2 supersymmetric sigma model in projective superspace, we elaborate on its formulation in terms of N = 1 chiral superfields. A universal (model-independent) expression is obtained for the holomorphic…
Supersymmetric solutions of supergravity theories, and consequently metrics with special holonomy, have played an important role in the development of string theory. We describe how a Lorentzian manifold is either completely reducible, and…
Holomorphic (nondegenerate) mappings between complex manifolds of the same dimension are of special interest. For example, they appear as coverings of complex manifolds. At the same time they have very strong "extra" extension properties in…
We determine the algebra of holonomy symmetries of sigma models propagating on supersymmetric heterotic backgrounds with a non-compact holonomy group. We demonstrate that these close as a W-algebra, which in turn is specified by a Lie…
We present a systematic study of ${\cal N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetric non-linear sigma models on $S^2$ with the target being a K\"ahler manifold. We discuss their reformulation in terms of cohomological field theory. In the cohomological…
We review the construction of regular p-brane solutions of M-theory and string theory with less than maximal supersymmetry whose transverse spaces have metrics with special holonomy, and where additional fluxes allow for brane resolutions…