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We survey elementary features of Lovelock gravity and its maximally symmetric vacuum solutions. The latter is solely determined by the real roots of a dimension-dependent polynomial. We also recover the static spherically symmetric (black hole) solutions of Lovelock gravity using Palais' symmetric criticality principle. We show how to linearize the generic field equations of Lovelock models about a given maximally symmetric vacuum, which turns out to factorize into the product of yet another dimension-dependent polynomial and the linearized Einstein tensor about the relevant background. We also describe how to compute conserved charges using linearized field equations along with the relevant background Killing isometries. We further describe and discuss the special vacua which are defined by the simultaneous vanishing of the aforementioned polynomials., Comment: prepared as a contribution to the special issue of "Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical" dedicated to the memory of Stanley Deser; 20 pages, no figures; version 2: references added, 21 pages

Linearised gravity has magnetic charges carried by (linearised) Kaluza-Klein monopoles. A gauge-invariant expression is found for these charges that is similar to Penrose's gauge-invariant expression for the ADM charges. A systematic search is made for other gauge-invariant charges., Comment: 47 pages. v2: minor revisions

Covariant conserved 2-form currents for linearised gravity are constructed by contracting the linearised curvature with conformal Killing-Yano tensors. The corresponding conserved charges were originally introduced by Penrose and have recently been interpreted as the generators of generalised symmetries of the graviton. We introduce an off-shell refinement of these charges and find the relation between these improved Penrose charges and the linearised version of the ADM momentum and angular momentum. If the graviton field is globally well-defined on a background Minkowski space then some of the Penrose charges give the momentum and angular momentum while the remainder vanish. We consider the generalisation in which the graviton has Dirac string singularities or is defined locally in patches, in which case the conventional ADM expressions are not invariant under the graviton gauge symmetry in general. We modify them to render them gauge-invariant and show that the Penrose charges give these modified charges plus certain magnetic gravitational charges. We discuss properties of the Penrose charges, generalise to toroidal Kaluza-Klein compactifications and check our results in a number of examples., Comment: 37 pages + appendices

In this paper we look at a sigma model based on the (4, 4) twisted chiral multiplet [3]. It admits two geometric descriptions: The ususal bi-quaternionic geometry on the tangent space and a new geometry involving two Yano F-structures on a doubled tangent space. This analysis sheds light on the recent discussion of semichiral models in [1] and on an upcoming discussion of complex linears., Comment: 9 pages

We introduce new techniques for calculations in Gauge theories with extended supersymmetry. We are working in Projective Superspace where the $SU(2)$ R-symmetry is realized geometrically by including an auxilliary $\mathbb{CP}^1$ component in the superspace. Different gauge representations are associated with different dependence on the $\mathbb{CP}^1$ coordinate $\zeta$ and using contour integrals on $\mathbb{CP}^1$ we define natural projection operators on these different representations which leads to elegant formulas for all relevant objects. The new techniques lead to compact expressions for lagrangians and field strengths in terms of the gauge prepotential but also to effective ways of reducing superspace expressions to components, i.e. to write them in terms of fields transforming covariantly only under a subgroup of the supersymmetry group. We illustrate our findings in several examples in three and four dimensions., Comment: 41 pages; v2: references added

We construct an asymptotic conserved charge for a current that has been defined using Killing-Yano tensors. We then calculate the corresponding conserved charges of of the Kerr and AdS-Kerr black holes, and their higher-dimensional generalizations, Myers-Perry and Gibbons-L\"u-Page-Pope black holes. The new charges all turn out to be proportional to the angular momenta of their parent black holes., Comment: 15 pages, no figures; version 2: added 2 new references and a clarifying note

We consider the sum of the Einstein-Hilbert action and a Pontryagin density (PD) in arbitrary even dimension $D$. All curvatures are functions of independent affine (torsionless) connections only. In arbitrary dimension, not only in $D=4n$, these first order PD terms are shown to be covariant divergences of "Chern-Simons" currents. The field equation for the connection leads to it being Levi-Civita, and to the metric and affine field equations being equivalent to the second order metric theory. This result is a counterexample to the theorem stating that purely metric and metric-affine models can only be equivalent for Lovelock theories., Comment: Three pages, no figures, accepted for publication in Physics Letters B

We consider $f(R)$ gravity and Born-Infeld-Einstein (BIE) gravity in formulations where the metric and connection are treated independently and integrate out the metric to find the corresponding models solely in terms of the connection, the archetypical treatment being that of Eddington-Schr\"odinger (ES) duality between cosmological Einstein and Eddington theories. For dimensions $D\ne2$, we find that this requires $f(R)$ to have a specific form which makes the model Weyl invariant, and that its Eddington reduction is then equivalent to that of BIE with certain parameters. For $D=2$ dimensions, where ES duality is not applicable, we find that both models are Weyl invariant and equivalent to a first order formulation of the bosonic string. We also discuss the form of the boundary terms needed for the variational principle to be well defined on manifolds with non-null boundaries. This requires a modification of the Gibbons-Hawking-York (GHY) boundary term for gravity. This modification also means that the dualities between metric and connection formulations are consistent and include the boundary terms., Comment: 15 pages, one figure; Ver. 2: 16 pages, one figure, various clarifying remarks added, accepted for publication in CQG

It is shown how extended supersymmetry realised directly on the (2,2) semichiral superfields of a symplectic sigma model gives rise to a geometry on the doubled tangent bundle consisting of two Yano F structures on an almost para-hermitian manifold. Closure of the algebra and invariance of the action is discussed in this framework and integrability of the F structures is defined and shown to hold. The reduction to the usual (1, 1) sigma model description and identification with the bi-quaternionic set of complex structures and their properties is elucidated. The F structure formulation should be applicable to many other models and will have an equivalent formulation in Generalised Geometry., Comment: 25 pages V2: Nomenclature and one equation corrected

In this paper we discuss the construction of conserved tensors (currents) involving conformal Killing-Yano tensors (CKYTs), generalising the corresponding constructions for Killing-Yano tensors (KYTs). As a useful preparation for this, but also of intrinsic interest, we derive identities relating CKYTs and geometric quantities. The behaviour of CKYTs under conformal transformations is also given, correcting formulae in the literature. We then use the identities derived to construct covariantly conserved ``currents''. We find several new CKYT currents and also include a known one by Penrose which shows that ``trivial'' currents are also useful. We further find that rank-$n$ currents based on rank-$n$ CKYTs $k$ must have a simple form in terms of $dk$. By construction, these currents are covariant under a general conformal rescaling of the metric. How currents lead to conserved charges is then illustrated using the Kerr-Newman and the C-metric in four dimensions. Separately, we study a rank-1 current, construct its charge and discuss its relation to the recently constructed Cotton current for the Kerr-Newman black hole., Comment: 15 pages; This version considerably reworked relative to previous ones, prompted by a number of comments from various researchers

Supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models have target spaces that carry interesting geometry. The geometry is richer the more supersymmetries the model has. The study of models with two dimensional world sheets is particularly rewarding since they allow for torsionful geometries. In this review I describe and exemplify the relation of $2d$ supersymmetry to Riemannian, complex, bihermitian, $(p,q)$ Hermitean, K\"ahler, hyperk\"ahler, generalised geometry and more, Comment: 16 pages. Prepared for the proceedings of the MATRIX Research Program: 2D Supersymmetric Theories andRelated Topics Melbourne 17 - 28 Jan 2022

In this contribution we have collected some facts about Killing and Killing-Yano tensors that we feel are of general interest for researchers working on problems that rely on differential geometry. We also include some of our recent studies pertaining to currents, charges and (super)invariants for particles and tensionless strings., Comment: Contribution to Corfu Summer Institute 2021 "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity" 29 August - 9 October 2021 Corfu, Greece. 13 pages, References updated

We construct invariants for bosonic and spinning tensionless (null) strings in backgrounds that carry Killing tensors or Killing-Yano tensors of mixed type. This is facilitated by the close relation of these strings to point particles. We apply the construction to the Minkowski and to the Kerr-Newman backgrounds., Comment: 16 pages

We discuss conserved currents constructed from the Cotton tensor and (conformal) Killing-Yano tensors (KYTs). We consider the corresponding charges generally and then exemplify with the four-dimensional Pleba\'nski-Demia\'nski metric where they are proportional to the sum of the squares of the electric and the magnetic charges. As part of the derivation, we also find the two conformal Killing-Yano tensors of the Pleba\'nski-Demia\'nski metric in the recently introduced coordinates of Podolsky and Vratny. The construction of asymptotic charges for the Cotton current is elucidated and compared to the three-dimensional construction in Topologically Massive Gravity. For the three-dimensional case, we also give a conformal superspace multiplet that contains the Cotton current in the bosonic sector. In a mathematical section, we derive potentials for the currents, find identities for conformal KYTs and for KYTs in torsionful backgrounds., Comment: 20 pages; ver. 2: to appear in JHEP

New relations involving the Riemann, Ricci and Einstein tensors that have to hold for a given geometry to admit Killing-Yano tensors are described. These relations are then used to introduce novel conserved "currents" involving such Killing-Yano tensors. For a particular current based on the Einstein tensor, we discuss the issue of conserved charges and consider implications for matter coupled to gravity. The condition on the background geometry to allow asymptotic conserved charges for a current introduced by Kastor and Traschen is found and a number of other new aspects of this current are commented on. In particular we show that it vanishes for rank $(D-1)$ Killing-Yano tensors in $D$ dimensions., Comment: 1+21 pages, 1 table, no figures; version 2: clarifications added version 3: The d index raised in the middle formulae in (6.2) and (6.10). Makes the comments on (6.10) correct

General $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ supergravity-matter systems in six dimensions may be described using one of the two fully fledged superspace formulations for conformal supergravity: (i) $\mathsf{SU}(2)$ superspace; and (ii) conformal superspace. With motivation to develop rigid supersymmetric field theories in curved space, this paper is devoted to the study of the geometric symmetries of supergravity backgrounds. In particular, we introduce the notion of a conformal Killing spinor superfield $\epsilon^\alpha$, which proves to generate extended superconformal transformations. Among its cousins are the conformal Killing vector $\xi^a$ and tensor $\zeta^{a(n)}$ superfields. The former parametrise conformal isometries of supergravity backgrounds, which in turn yield symmetries of every superconformal field theory. Meanwhile, the conformal Killing tensors of a given background are associated with higher symmetries of the hypermultiplet. By studying the higher symmetries of a non-conformal vector multiplet we introduce the concept of a Killing tensor superfield. We also analyse the problem of computing higher symmetries for the conformal d'Alembertian in curved space and demonstrate that, beyond the first-order case, these operators are defined only on conformally flat backgrounds., Comment: 62 pages

We find a geometric description of interacting $\beta\gamma$-systems as a null Kac-Moody quotient of a nonlinear sigma-model for systems with varying amounts of supersymmetry., Comment: 26 pages. Rev: minor cosmetic changes. Rev 2: typos corrected

We introduce a phase space with spinorial momenta, corresponding to fermionic derivatives, for a 2d supersymmetric (1, 1) sigma model. We show that there is a generalisation of the covariant De Donder-Weyl Hamiltonian formulation on this phase space with canonical equations equivalent to the Lagrangian formulation, find the corresponding multisymplectic form and Hamiltonian multivectors. The covariance of the formulation makes it possible to see how additional non-manifest supersymmetries arise in analogy to those of the Lagrangian formulation. We then observe that an intermediate phase space Lagrangian defined on the sum of the tangent and cotanget spaces is a first order Lagrangian for the sigma model and derive additional supersymmetries for this., Comment: Contribution to the Corfu Summer Institute 2019 "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity" (CORFU2019) 31 August - 25 September 2019, Corfu, Greece

Strong K\"ahler with Torsion is the target space geometry of $(2,1)$ and $(2,0)$ supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models. We discuss how it can be represented in terms of Generalised Complex Geometry in analogy to the Gualtieri map from the geometry of $(2,2)$ supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models to Generalised K\"ahler Geometry., Comment: 8 pages Corfu Summer Institute 2018 "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity''

We define $(p,q)$ hermitian geometry as the target space geometry of the two dimensional $(p,q)$ supersymmetric sigma model. This includes generalised K\"{a}hler geometry for $(2,2)$, generalised hyperk\"{a}hler geometry for $(4,2)$, strong K\"{a}hler with torsion geometry for $(2,1)$ and strong hyperk\"{a}hler with torsion geometry for $(4,1)$. We provide a generalised complex geometry formulation of hermitian geometry, generalising Gualtieri's formulation of the $(2,2)$ case. Our formulation involves a chiral version of generalised complex structure and we provide explicit formulae for the map to generalised geometry., Comment: 20 pages

This is a brief review of some of the uses of nonlinear sigma models. After a short general discussion touching on point particles, strings and condensed matter systems, focus is shifted to sigma models as probes of target space geometries. The relation of supersymmetric non-linear sigma models to K\"ahler, hyperk\"ahler, hyperk\"ahler with torsion and generalised K\"ahler geometries is described., Comment: 11 pages, Corfu Summer Institute 2017 "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity" 2-28 September 2017, Corfu, Greece

Off-shell $(4,0)$ supermultiplets in 2-dimensions are formulated. These are used to construct sigma models whose target spaces are vector bundles over manifolds that are hyperk\"ahler with torsion. The off-shell supersymmetry implies that the complex structures are simultaneously integrable and allows us to write actions using extended superspace and projective superspace, giving an explicit construction of the target space geometries., Comment: 13 pages

Off-shell $(4,q)$ supermultiplets in 2-dimensions are constructed for $q=1,2,4$. These are used to construct sigma models whose target spaces are hyperk\"ahler with torsion. The off-shell supersymmetry implies the three complex structures are simultaneously integrable and allows us to construct actions using extended superspace and projective superspace, giving an explicit construction of the target space geometries., Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure, References, comments and an additional example added

Semichiral $(2,2)$ sigma models with $4d$ target space are discussed. A novel description in $(1,1)$ superspace allows an analysis of possible extended supersymmetries. It is argued that a manifest semichiral realization of an extra supersymmetry is only possible for hyperk\"ahler target geometry. A semichiral formulation of the $SU(2)\otimes U(1)$ WZW model is seemingly a counterexample to this. After deriving the extra supersymmetries of this model in $(1,1)$ superspace it is shown that they cannot be lifted to transformations of semichirals in $(2,2)$ superspace.

Semichiral sigma models with a four-dimensional target space do not support extended N=(4,4) supersymmetries off-shell arXiv:0903.2376, arXiv:0912.4724. We contribute towards the understanding of the non-manifest on-shell transformations in (2,2) superspace by analyzing the extended on-shell supersymmetry of such models and find that a rather general ansatz for the additional supersymmetry (not involving central charge transformations) leads to hyperk\"ahler geometry. We give non-trivial examples of these models., Comment: 19 pages

This is a review of how sigma models formulated in Superspace have become important tools for understanding geometry. Topics included are: The (hyper)k\"ahler reduction; projective superspace; the generalized Legendre construction; generalized K\"ahler geometry and constructions of hyperk\"ahler metrics on Hermitean symmetric spaces., Comment: 42 pages, one figure, based on lectures presented at ESI, Wienna; Odense; UWA, Perth; Corfu

Two-dimensional (2,2) supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models can be described in (2,2), (2,1) or (1,1) superspaces. Each description emphasizes different aspects of generalized K\"ahler geometry. We investigate the reduction from (2,2) to (2,1) superspace. This has some interesting nontrivial features arising from the elimination of nondynamical fields. We compare quantization in the different superspace formulations., Comment: 22 pages, published version

This is a brief review of how sigma models in Projective Superspace have become important tools for constructing new hyperk\"ahler metrics, Comment: 10 pages Contribution to ``The 27th Winter School GEOMETRY AND PHYSICS'', Czech Republic, Srni, January 13 - 20, 2007''

This is a review of the relation between supersymmetric non-linear sigma models and target space geometry. In particular, we report on the derivation of generalized K\"ahler geometry from sigma models with additional spinorial superfields. Some of the results reviewed are: Generalized complex geometry from sigma models in the Lagrangian formulation; Coordinatization of generalized K\"ahler geometry in terms of chiral, twisted chiral and semi-chiral superfields; Generalized K\"ahler geometry from sigma models in the Hamiltonian formulation., Comment: 16 pages, Latex. Contribution to The 26th Winter School GEOMETRY AND PHYSICS, Czech Republic, Srni, January 14 - 21, 2006

We extend the path-integral formulation of Poisson-Lie duality found by Tyurin and von Unge to N=1 supersymmetric sigma-models. Using an explicit representation of the generators of the Drinfel'd double corresponding to GxU(1)^dimG we discuss an application to non-abelian duality. The paper also contains the relevant background and some comments on Poisson-Lie duality., Comment: 23 pages,latex2e,no figures;v2:minor corrections;v3:misprints corrected,final version

We derive manifestly locally supersymmetric extensions of the Born-Infeld action with $p=2$. The construction is based on a first order bosonic action for $Dp$-branes with a generalized Weyl invariance., Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages, typos corrected, references and some remarks added