N=1 superfield description of six-dimensional supergravity

TL;DR

This paper reformulates six-dimensional supergravity using four-dimensional N=1 superfields, revealing complex moduli dependence and gauge invariance, and connects to known lower-dimensional theories through reduction.

Contribution

It provides a novel superfield formulation of 6D supergravity emphasizing moduli dependence and gauge invariance, bridging to 5D and 4D theories.

Findings

Gauge invariance in tensor-vector sector is nontrivially realized.

Moduli dependence, especially on shape modulus, is intricate.

Reduction reproduces known superfield actions of lower-dimensional theories.

Abstract

We express the action of six-dimensional supergravity in terms of four-dimensional N=1 superfields, focusing on the moduli dependence of the action. The gauge invariance of the action in the tensor-vector sector is realized in a quite nontrivial manner, and it determines the moduli dependence of the action. The resultant moduli dependence is intricate, especially on the shape modulus. Our result is reduced to the known superfield actions of six-dimensional global SUSY theories and of five-dimensional supergravity by replacing the moduli superfields with their background values and by performing the dimensional reduction, respectively.