Supergeometry

Abstract: Introduction The concept of a supermanifold Super linear algebra Elementary theory of supermanifolds Clifford algebras, spin groups, and spin representations Fine structure of spin modules Superspacetimes and super Poincare groups.

Abstract: We lay down the foundations for a systematic study of differentiable and algebraic supervarieties, with a special attention to supergroups.

Abstract: We study the integrable $\eta$ and $\lambda$-deformations of supercoset string sigma models, the basic example being the deformation of the $AdS_5 \times S^5$ superstring. We prove that the kappa symmetry variations for these models are of the standard Green-Schwarz form, and we determine the target space supergeometry by computing the superspace torsion. We check that the $\lambda$-deformation gives rise to a standard (generically type II*) supergravity background; for the $\eta$-model the requirement that the target space is a supergravity solution translates into a simple condition on the R-matrix which enters the definition of the deformation. We further construct all such non-abelian R-matrices of rank four which solve the homogeneous classical Yang-Baxter equation for the algebra so(2,4). We argue that the corresponding backgrounds are equivalent to sequences of non-commuting TsT-transformations, and verify this explicitly for some of the examples.

Abstract: These notes are based on a series of lectures given by the first author at the school of `Poisson 2010', held at IMPA, Rio de Janeiro. They contain an exposition of the theory of super- and graded manifolds, cohomological vector fields, graded symplectic structures, reduction and the AKSZ-formalism.