Quantum supergravity, supergravity anomalies and string phenomenology

TL;DR

This paper examines the impact of quantum effects on supergravity theories derived from heterotic string compactifications, emphasizing the importance of a supersymmetry-preserving regularization method.

Contribution

It highlights the necessity of a regularization approach that maintains local supersymmetry and BRST invariance, and discusses the Pauli-Villars method for effective supergravity quantization.

Findings

Pauli-Villars regularization preserves supersymmetry in supergravity

Quantum effects significantly influence string phenomenology

Further work needed to fully define the effective quantum theory

Abstract

I discuss the role of quantum effects in the phenomenology of effective supergravity theories from compactification of the weakly coupled heterotic string. An accurate incorporation of these effects requires a regularization procedure that respects local supersymmetry and BRST invariance and that retains information associated with the cut-off scale, which has physical meaning in an effective theory. I briefly outline the Pauli-Villars regularization procedure, describe some applications, and comment on what remains to be done to fully define the effective quantum field theory.