Massive Born--Infeld and Other Dual Pairs

TL;DR

This paper explores dual pairs of massive p-forms and (D-p-1)-forms with non-linear Lagrangians, highlighting their equivalence in certain dimensions and their realization in supersymmetric Born-Infeld actions, with implications for supergravity.

Contribution

It demonstrates the equivalence of non-linear massive dual pairs and connects these structures to supersymmetric Born-Infeld actions in four dimensions.

Findings

Dual pairs of massive p-forms and (D-p-1)-forms are described by non-linear Lagrangians.

In D=2p with p even, the non-linear structures coincide for self-dual theories.

The results are realized in four-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric Born-Infeld actions, relevant for supergravity.

Abstract

We consider massive dual pairs of p-forms and (D-p-1)-forms described by non-linear Lagrangians, where non-linear curvature terms in one theory translate into non-linear mass-like terms in the dual theory. In particular, for D=2p and p even the two non-linear structures coincide when the non-linear massless theory is self-dual. This state of affairs finds a natural realization in the four-dimensional massive N=1 supersymmetric Born-Infeld action, which describes either a massive vector multiplet or a massive linear (tensor) multiplet with a Born-Infeld mass-like term. These systems should play a role for the massive gravitino multiplet obtained from a partial super-Higgs in N=2 Supergravity.