Supersymmetry in physics: an algebraic overview (Q1066244)

In December 1983, a conference on ``Supersymmetry in Physics'' was held at Los Alamos. The proceedings were published in Physica D 15 (1985), they provide a valuable overview of this very active field of theoretical physics. The author's lecture surveys some of the uses that finite-dimensional Lie superalgebras might have in physics. He first reviews Kac's list of all complex simple Lie superalgebras. Then he discusses, mainly through various examples, the finite dimensional representations of the so-called classical Lie superalgebras. For non-relativistic applications, all of the Lie superalgebras are potentially useful. On the other hand, the Lie superalgebras which might be applicable in relativistic physics are severely restricted by the principles of special relativity. The author presents, for various space-time dimensions, a list of Lie superalgebras which meet these requirements. Finally, he comments on certain infinite-dimensional representations (those corresponding to massless particles) of some of these relativistic Lie superalgebras.