Super-Poincaré algebra

The super-Poincaré algebra extends the Poincare algebra by odd spinor generators. In four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry, $\{Q_{\alpha },{\bar{Q}}_{\dot{\beta }}\}=2{\sigma }_{\alpha \dot{\beta }}^{\mu }{P}_{\mu }$ and the equal-chirality anticommutators vanish.

A supersymmetric domain wall contributes a boundary or tensorial charge to the extended anticommutator of supercharges. It is not the Lorentz-scalar central charge of an extended particle algebra. The wall's energy per unit area can cancel this charge in half the real charge combinations, giving the BPS tension bound and half-supersymmetry preservation. This does not contradict the rank classification for the ordinary algebra without wall charges.

A supertranslation is generated by translations and supercharges, excluding the Lorentz transformations. For flat Majorana superspace with ${\Pi }^m=d{X}^m+i\bar{\theta }{\gamma }^{m}d\theta$, the rigid odd transformation $\delta \theta =ϵ$, $\delta X^m=-i\overline{ϵ}{\gamma }^m\theta$ leaves ${\Pi }^m$ invariant. Its commutator gives an ordinary translation.

With left Grassmann derivatives, define ${\mathcal{P}}_{\mu }=-i{\partial }_{\mu }$, ${\mathcal{Q}}_{\alpha }=-i{\partial }_{{\theta }^{\alpha }}-{\sigma }_{\alpha \dot{\gamma }}^{\mu }{\bar{\theta }}^{\dot{\gamma }}{\partial }_{\mu }$ and ${\bar{\mathcal{Q}}}_{\dot{\beta }}=i{\partial }_{{\bar{\theta }}^{\dot{\beta }}}+{\theta }^{\gamma }{\sigma }_{\gamma \dot{\beta }}^{\mu }{\partial }_{\mu }$. The anticommutators of the derivative parts and of the coordinate parts vanish. Each mixed derivative/coordinate pair contributes $-i{\sigma }^{\mu }{\partial }_{\mu }$ by the graded product rule, giving the displayed mixed anticommutator. Equal-chirality anticommutators vanish, and all these operators commute with translations. Under Lorentz transformations their spinor indices transform in conjugate Weyl spinor representations, completing the minimal Super-Poincaré algebra. A convention for left derivatives is essential to the signs.

In the minimal Super-Poincaré algebra, Lorentz covariance allows $[P^{\mu },Q_{\alpha }]=A{\sigma }_{\alpha \dot{\beta }}^{\mu }{\bar{Q}}^{\dot{\beta }}$. The graded Jacobi identity with $P^{\mu },Q_{\alpha },Q_{\beta }$ forces $A=0$. Thus each supercharge preserves four-momentum and its mass Casimir, giving supersymmetric mass degeneracy in an unbroken physical supermultiplet.

For $\{Q_{\alpha },Q_{\beta }^{†}\}=2{\sigma }_{\alpha \dot{\beta }}^{\mu }{P}_{\mu }$, summing diagonal components gives $4H$. The expectation of each anticommutator is $\Vert Q_{\alpha }v{\Vert }^2+\Vert Q_{\alpha }^{†}v{\Vert }^2$, so $H$ is a positive semidefinite operator. A vacuum has zero energy exactly when every supercharge annihilates it. Spontaneously broken global supersymmetry with an existing vacuum therefore gives positive vacuum energy density. This statement fixes the energy zero through the algebra and does not apply to the general supergravity F-term potential.

For a normalized state in a unitary representation of the ordinary four-dimensional Super-Poincaré algebra, define $M_{ab}=⟨\{Q_a,Q_b\}⟩/2$ in a real Hermitian charge basis. Then $\Vert u\cdot Q\psi {\Vert }^2=u^{T}Mu$, so its annihilator is precisely the kernel of a linear map represented by the positive matrix $M$. In a suitable real basis its eigenvalues are the two eigenvalues of $⟨P^0⟩I+⟨\mathbf{P}⟩\cdot \mathbf{\sigma }$, each repeated twice. A nonzero kernel therefore has dimension two at nonzero null momentum expectation or four at zero expectation. Complex non-Hermitian lowering operators and algebras with domain-wall extensions are not covered by this argument.

A central charge in four-dimensional extended supersymmetry is a Lorentz scalar even generator appearing in $\{Q_{\alpha }^A,Q_{\beta }^B\}={ϵ}_{\alpha \beta }{Z}^{AB}$. It commutes with the displayed translation, Lorentz algebra, and supercharge generators. An added R-symmetry automorphism can act on the central charges.

Use $\{Q_{\alpha }^A,Q_{\beta }^B\}={ϵ}_{\alpha \beta }{Z}^{AB}$. Unitary skew-diagonalization of an antisymmetric matrix gives two-by-two blocks with entries $Z_r=2z_r$. At rest, the paired supercharges have anticommutators $2(M\pm |z_r|)$. The squared norms of an operator and its adjoint sum to the expectation of their anticommutator, so positive norm requires $M\ge |z_r|$ for every block. A convention with $2Z$ in the algebra instead writes $M\ge \max |Z_r|$.

A BPS state saturates a BPS bound in supersymmetry. The zero-norm combinations of supercharges and their adjoints annihilate its entire irreducible supermultiplet. Thus part of the supersymmetry is preserved. For a positive-mass representation, its massive supermultiplet is shortened; massless supermultiplets require the separate null-momentum construction. Charge conjugation can require a separate conjugate multiplet in the physical spectrum.

A wall of marginal stability is a locus in the parameter or vacuum space where the complex central charges in supersymmetry of possible decay products align in phase. The triangle inequality then becomes an equality, $|Z_1+Z_2|=|Z_1|+|Z_2|$, permitting a BPS state to reach the threshold for decay into other BPS states. Away from such alignment, the strict triangle inequality can prohibit the decay. Supersymmetry protects the mass-charge relation of an existing short state; it does not guarantee that the state exists or remains stable everywhere in parameter space.

A supersymmetry generator is an odd Weyl spinor generator of the Super-Poincaré algebra. Acting on a physical state reverses fermion parity while preserving its four-momentum.

A supersymmetry transformation is the infinitesimal action generated by an odd supercharge, with constant anticommuting spinor parameter in a global theory. In superspace it acts as $\delta \mathcal{S}=(ϵQ+\overline{ϵ}\bar{Q})\mathcal{S}$, with possible conventional overall factors of $i$. On the fermion of a chiral superfield, the transformation includes $\delta \psi =\sqrt{2}ϵF_{\mathrm{aux}}+i\sqrt{2}{\sigma }^{\mu }\overline{ϵ}{\partial }_{\mu }\varphi$. A nonzero vacuum auxiliary field therefore gives an inhomogeneous fermion shift, identifying the Goldstino direction when global supersymmetry is spontaneously broken.

Let $[J_i,q_a]=(R_i{)}_{ab}{q}_b$, with numerical coefficient matrices and $[J_i,J_j]=i{ϵ}_{ijk}{J}_k$. The Jacobi identity then gives $(R_j{R}_i-R_i{R}_j)q=i{ϵ}_{ijk}{R}_{k}q$, so component coefficient matrices obey the opposite bracket to state-representation matrices. Thus $R_i=-{\sigma }_i/2$ is consistent for an upper-column spinor, whereas $+{\sigma }_i/2$ in that same component prescription is not. Inverse adjoint actions and dual row conventions must be compared with their index contractions intact.

Under standard assumptions on a nontrivial analytic relativistic S-matrix, the Coleman–Mandula theorem says that every continuous bosonic symmetry algebra is a direct sum of the Poincare algebra and an internal symmetry algebra.

The Haag–Łopuszański–Sohnius theorem allows a Z2-graded Lie superalgebra and shows that supersymmetry, including possible central charges and R-symmetries, is the nontrivial fermionic extension compatible with an interacting relativistic S-matrix.

The superspin Casimir classifies massive supermultiplets analogously to the Pauli-Lubanski Casimir for Poincare representations. One construction contracts the tensor $C_{\mu \nu }=B_{\mu }{P}_{\nu }-B_{\nu }{P}_{\mu }$, where $B_{\mu }$ is the supersymmetric correction of the Pauli-Lubanski pseudovector.