Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2007 iii Paper 57 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The Noether gauging procedure begins with a rigid symmetry parameter . Replacing it by leaves in the action variation a term proportional to . Introduce a gauge field whose variation contains and couple it to the Noether current to cancel that term. The new coupling produces further variations, so both the action and transformation laws are corrected successively in the coupling constant until local invariance is obtained. Covariant derivatives organize this iterative completion.
For the Wess–Zumino model, the parameter is a spinor and the current is the supercurrent. Its derivative part has the structure , up to the fixed Majorana spinor normalization and improvements. The gauge field is the spin- gravitino , with leading transformation . A coupling of to that current cancels the derivative of the local parameter. Since the commutator of two local supersymmetries includes a spacetime transformation, the vierbein and gravity must participate as well. This gives the Wess-Zumino chiral multiplet coupled to supergravity.
The terms displayed in the final expression have the following distinct roles:
- The scalar field kinetic term acquires the invariant volume density and the inverse metric tensor. For a Lorentz scalar the spacetime covariant derivative is just its ordinary derivative; the metric contraction is what changes from the rigid theory.
- The Majorana spinor kinetic term uses curved gamma matrices and the spinor covariant derivative. The factor one half avoids double counting the real Majorana degrees of freedom. The spin connection makes the term locally Lorentz covariant.
- The curvature term is the Einstein-Hilbert action, with gravitational coupling . Its variation cancels the curvature terms generated when covariant derivatives are commuted in the gravitino variation. Its sign follows the source's curvature and metric conventions.
- The gravitino kinetic term is the curved-space Rarita-Schwinger field action. It supplies the dynamical gauge field needed to localize supersymmetry, just as a gauge-field kinetic term accompanies an ordinary gauging.
- The term of order is the gravitino–supercurrent coupling. Its scalar factor must be differentiated: in standard notation it contains . The glyph rendered as before the parentheses in the source formula must be read as a slashed derivative, or corrected to one; the undifferentiated scalar product would not be the free Wess–Zumino model supercurrent.
- The order- term bilinear in gravitini couples their chiral current to the scalar field phase Noether current .
- The remaining order- term couples the matter axial current to the same .
The last two interactions are part of the higher-order local supersymmetry completion. They can be organized through the composite Kähler connection in the fermion derivatives, or derived by eliminating the corresponding supergravity auxiliary connection. Matter fermions and gravitini carry the appropriate chiral Kähler weights, fixing the relative current couplings. They are not new adjustable Yukawa interactions. In reading this organization, one must not include the composite connection in and then count its separately displayed current terms a second time.
Finally the spin connection itself acquires gravitino-induced torsion and matter spin-current contributions. Eliminating this algebraic connection, or solving for auxiliary fields, can make further fermion contact terms implicit in the chosen covariant derivatives and component convention. The key mechanism is current coupling at first order, followed by the covariant and higher-order terms required by local supersymmetry, rather than merely changing ordinary derivatives in the original matter Lagrangian.