N=8 Supergravity with Local Scaling Symmetry

TL;DR

This paper constructs a broad class of N=8 supergravity theories in four dimensions with local scaling symmetry, exploring their gauge structures, field equations, and unique features like dyonic gaugings and absence of an action.

Contribution

It introduces the most general N=8 supergravity with local scaling symmetry, including new gaugings, gauge groups, and field couplings, extending previous models.

Findings

Derived the complete set of field equations for the new theories.

Identified the gauge groups and gaugings, including dyonic configurations.

Showed these theories lack an action and have a positive cosmological constant.

Abstract

We construct maximal supergravity in four dimensions with local scaling symmetry as deformation of the original Cremmer-Julia theory. The different theories which include the standard gaugings are parametrized by an embedding tensor carrying 56+912 parameters. We determine the form of the possible gauge groups and work out the complete set of field equations. As a result we obtain the most general couplings compatible with N=8 supersymmetry in four dimensions. A particular feature of these theories is the absence of an action and an additional positive contribution to the effective cosmological constant. Moreover, these gaugings are generically dyonic, i.e. involve simultaneously electric and magnetic vector fields.