The Cauchy problem in extended supergravity, \(N=1\), \(d=11\) (Q1076357)

The \(N=1\), \(d=11\) model of extended supergravity proposed by Cremmer and Julia is an Einstein-Cartan theory in an 11 dimensional spacetime with a spinor valued 1-form \(\Psi\) and a numerical valued 3-form A as source fields. The frame field e and the spinor field \(\Psi\) are Grassmann- valued. It is shown that the field equations for this theory are a well- posed system for the Cauchy problem. Solutions are seen to be causal in the sense that the value of a problem at a point depends only on the value initial data in the past of that point. The author derives the field equations and conservation laws from a variational principle. The Rarita-Schwinger gauge is imposed on the spinor field, the harmonic gauge on the metric and a gauge first used by Bao in simple supergravity is applied to the moving frame. A Lorentz-like gauge is used for the 3-form. The Cauchy data and constraint equations are obtained and the Grassmannian-valued Cauchy problem is solved inductively by order. The zeroth order equation is of Einstein-Maxwell type (with \(F=dA)\) while the first order equation is a linear Rarita- Schwinger system.