Effective supergravity descriptions of superstring cosmology

TL;DR

This review discusses supergravity theories relevant to superstring cosmology, focusing on uplifting methods for de Sitter vacua, and explores the structure of N=1 and N=2 supergravities using superconformal techniques.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of supergravity frameworks in superstring cosmology, emphasizing the role of uplifting terms and the application of superconformal methods.

Findings

Analysis of restrictions for uplifting terms in supergravity

Clarification of superconformal methods in supergravity theories

Discussion on cosmic strings and target manifold embeddings

Abstract

This text is a review of aspects of supergravity theories that are relevant in superstring cosmology. In particular, it considers the possibilities and restrictions for `uplifting terms', i.e. methods to produce de Sitter vacua. We concentrate on N=1 and N=2 supergravities, and the tools of superconformal methods, which clarify the structure of these theories. Cosmic strings and embeddings of target manifolds of supergravity theories in others are discussed in short at the end.