The spinorial geometry of supersymmetric backgrounds (Q4673036)

Based on the description of spinors in terms of differential forms and on the Spin(1,10) gauge symmetry of the supercovariant derivative, the authors solve the Killing spinor equations for the cases associated with SU(4) and SU(5) invariant spinors in \(N=2\) backgrounds, wherein the most general spinors that can be originated are exhibited. The solutions of the Killing spinor equations are shown to constrain the geometry of spacetime. In the SU(5) case, spacetime itself admits a timelike Killing vector and the manifold transverse to the orbits of the Killing vector is described by a 10-dimensional Hermitian manifold with SU(5)-structure. In the case of SU(4), spacetime admits a timelike Killing vector field, and the manifold transverse to it is a 10-dimensional almost-Hermitian manifold with SU(4)-structure. The present formalism is also used to classify \(N>2\) supersymmetric backgrounds, and in particular, the authors investigate the cases of \(N=3\) and \(N=4\) supersymmetry admiting SU(4) invariant Killing spinors, showing that spacetime is diffeomorphic to a Hermitian manifold with SU(4)-structure admitting holomorphic vector fields. An interpretation of the stability group of the Killing spinors is found to refine the supersymmetry criterion, used to associate supergravity backgrounds with dual gauge theories, in the context of M-theory Calabi-Yau compactifications with fluxes to one dimension. When treating \(N>2\) backgrounds, the authors use the so-called `SU' series, defined by the property that the Killing spinors are progressively invariant under \(1\hookrightarrow\) SU(2)\(\hookrightarrow\) SU(3) \(\hookrightarrow\) SU(4) \(\hookrightarrow\) SU(5). The `SU' series can be interpreted as Calabi-Yau series and can be used to extend the definition of M-theory Calabi-Yau compactifications with fluxes to other Minkowski spaces. Also, \(N=1\) and \(N=2\) backgrounds with SU(5)-invariant Killing spinors are investigated in the context of Calabi-Yau compactifications with fluxes to one dimension. Spacetime geometry associated with \(N=2\) backgrounds is shown to be diffeomorphic to the product between a (real) line and a 10-dimensional Calabi-Yau manifold. The investigation method is based on the supercovariant connection of 11-dimensional supergravity, which solution of the parallel transport problem is completely equivalent to finding the Killing spinors. Finally the appendices, respectively concerning orbits of special unitary groups, geometric \(G\)- structures, spinors with stability subgroup (Spin(7)\(\times \mathbb{R}^8)\times \mathbb{R}\) and the solutions of Killing spinor equations for SU(4) invariant spinors, give the article a self-contained, clear character from the algebraic and geometric viewpoint.