Four-dimensional supermembrane 2026-10-14
The four-dimensional minimal supersymmetric membrane has embedding coordinates with four real odd components. Its area term uses the supertranslation-invariant superspace coframe, and a Wess-Zumino brane coupling integrates a superspace three-form potential with closed four-form curvature. Equal charge magnitude and tension permit kappa symmetry. After worldvolume reparametrization and kappa fixing, one transverse scalar and one three-dimensional Majorana fermion remain. This gives the long-wavelength description of the translation and fermion zero modes of a supersymmetric domain wall; it is distinct from restricting the eleven-dimensional M2-brane to a four-dimensional target.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 iii Paper 53 7 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Use the supertranslation-invariant superspace coframeIt is a basis because the change from is triangular with identity diagonal blocks. Under a rigid supertranslation, , and . Therefore , and .
Writing wedge products explicitly, the three-form isBoth factors are supertranslation invariant. Under a Lorentz transformation, and the bilinear in transform as vectors, so their contraction is invariant. Thus is invariant under the Super-Poincaré group.
The Maurer-Cartan equation is . Since the other factor is closed,The required four-dimensional Fierz rearrangement identity, which may be stated without proof, isDifferentials of odd Grassmann variables commute in the graded exterior algebra. Thus the coefficient of the product of four factors is the fully symmetric spinor-index part appearing in this identity. It vanishes, provingThis is the closed three-form on four-dimensional superspace; it should not be confused with the different closed four-form used for a membrane coupling in Question 10.