A Topologically Massive Gauge Theory with 32 Supercharges

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new three-dimensional abelian Chern-Simons gauge theory with 32 supersymmetries, featuring massive particles only up to spin 1 due to unique superalgebra properties.

Contribution

It constructs a topologically massive gauge theory with maximal supersymmetry and reveals a novel multiplet shortening mechanism involving non-central R-symmetry generators.

Findings

The theory has 32 supersymmetries in three dimensions.

Massive excitations are limited to spin 1 despite high supersymmetry.

The supermultiplet structure is influenced by non-central R-symmetry generators.

Abstract

We construct a novel topologically massive abelian Chern-Simons gauge theory with 32 global supersymmetries in three spacetime dimensions. In spite of the 32 supercharges, the theory exhibits massive excitations only up to spin 1. The possibility of such a multiplet shortening is due to the presence of non-central R-symmetry generators in the Poincare superalgebra, whose supermultiplets are determined.