Deformations of M-theory Killing superalgebras

TL;DR

This paper classifies possible algebraic deformations of Killing superalgebras in M-theory backgrounds, showing some are rigid while others admit explicit deformations, enhancing understanding of M-theory symmetries.

Contribution

It provides a complete classification of Lie superalgebra deformations for key M-theory backgrounds, identifying which are rigid and which can be deformed.

Findings

Minkowski, Freund--Rubin, M5-brane superalgebras are rigid.

M-wave, Kaluza--Klein monopole, M2-brane superalgebras admit explicit deformations.

Abstract

We classify the Lie superalgebra deformations of the Killing superalgebras of some M-theory backgrounds. We show that the Killing superalgebras of the Minkowski, Freund--Rubin and M5-brane backgrounds are rigid, whereas the ones for the M-wave, the Kaluza--Klein monopole and the M2-brane admit deformations, which we give explicitly.