Supersymmetry constraints on U-duality invariant deformations of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ ≥ 5 supergravity

Abstract

Abstract Candidate counterterms break E7 type U-duality symmetry of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N ≥ 5 supergravity theories in four dimensions [1, 2]. A proposal was made in [3] to restore it, starting with a double set of vector fields and argued that a supersymmetric extension of their proposal should exist. We show that the extra vectors, needed for the deformation, can not be auxiliary fields in an eventual off-shell formulation of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N ≥ 5 supergravity, assuming that such a formulation exists. Furthermore we show that these extra vector fields can not be dynamical either since that changes the unitary supermultiplets underlying these theories and requires one to go beyond the standard framework of extended simple supergravities. To show this we list all relevant unitary conformal supermultiplets of SU(2, 2| $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N + n). We find that doubling of vectors consistent with linearized supersymmetry requires to change the number of scalars, violating the coset structure of the theory, and also to add a finite number of higher spin fields, which do not admit consistent couplings to theories with spins ≤ 2. Thus, the proposed duality restoring deformation along the lines of [3] can not be implemented within the standard framework of extended supergravity theories. We argue therefore that, in the absence of anomalies, E7 type duality together with supersymmetry, might protect $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N ≥ 5 supergravity from UV divergences, in particular, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 5 supergravity at 4 loops in d=4.