Superstring-inspired supergravity as the universal source of inflation and quintessence

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the equivalence between higher-derivative supergravity models and standard chiral superfield theories, providing a framework that could unify early Universe inflation with current cosmic acceleration, possibly originating from quantum superstring effects.

Contribution

It establishes a formal equivalence in superspace between complex supergravity models and simpler chiral superfield theories, enabling new approaches to cosmological unification.

Findings

Derived the relation between functions F and W in supergravity models.

Proposed a scenario linking inflation and quintessence through supergravity.

Suggested a quantum superstring origin for the effective supergravity model.

Abstract

We prove (in superspace) the equivalence between the higher-derivative N=1 supergravity, defined by a holomorphic function F of the chiral scalar curvature superfield, and the standard theory of a chiral scalar superfield with a chiral superpotential W, coupled to the (minimal) Poincare supergravity in four spacetime dimensions. The relation between the holomorphic functions F and W is found. It can be used as the technical framework for the possible scenario unifying the early Universe inflation and the present Universe acceleration. We speculate on the possible origin of our model as the effective supergravity generated by quantum superstrings, with a dilaton-axion field as the leading field component of the chiral superfield.