Topics in supersymmetry and supergravity

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6656664

Theisen, S J

Various aspects of supersymmetric theories are examined. The author explains why supersymmetry might be an important ingredient for high energy theory and review some of the formalism that has proven useful in handling supersymmetric theories. The author then apply this to the problem of finding the supersymmetric extension to the fourth order gravity lagrangian, which is known to lead to a renormalizable theory. The author calculates the one loop effective action for locally supersymmetric theories and demonstrate how the fourth order terms, which render the theory non-renormalizable, are generated. The author also shows that, at least in a large class of locally supersymmetric grand unified theories, the quantum corrections do not upset the tree level gauge hierarchy. Finally, the author addresses the important problem of experimental verification of supersymmetry. Photinos as a candidate for dark matter are considered. Pair annihilation into a heavy quark-antiquark bound state plus a monochromatic photon can produce potentially observable sharp peaks in the diffuse cosmic ..gamma..-ray background.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Santa Barbara (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6656664
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645400* -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ANNIHILATION
BASIC INTERACTIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
GRAND UNIFIED THEORY
GRAVITATION
INTERACTIONS
LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PARTICLE MODELS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
POSTULATED PARTICLES
QUARKONIUM
RENORMALIZATION
REVIEWS
SUPERSYMMETRY
SYMMETRY
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS
UNIFIED-FIELD THEORIES