Spacetime scale-invariant super-p-brane actions on enlarged superspaces and the geometry of kappa-symmetry

TL;DR

This paper develops new super-p-brane actions using enlarged superspaces, making kappa-symmetry and tension emergence more transparent, and demonstrating strict invariance properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel formulation of super-p-brane actions on enlarged superspaces that exhibit strict kappa- and supersymmetry invariance, with tension arising as an integration constant.

Findings

Actions are expressed in terms of enlarged superspace variables.

Kappa-symmetry is realized as right local transformations of superspace groups.

Enlarged superspaces enable strict invariance of the Lagrangian.

Abstract

We use the additional variables of suitably enlarged superspaces to write new actions for extended objects, with kappa-symmetry, in such a way that the tension emerges from them as an integration constant. Our actions correspond to the spacetime scale-invariant ones previously considered by Bergshoeff et al. once the worldvolume forms introduced there are reinterpreted in terms of fields associated with the coordinates of the enlarged superspaces. It is shown that the kappa-symmetry of the new actions is given by a certain type of right local transformations of the extended superspace groups. Further, we also show that the enlarged superspaces that allow for strictly invariant Wess-Zumino terms also lead to strict kappa-invariance i.e., the Lagrangian itself (not only the action) is both supersymmetry- and kappa-invariant.