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Supergravity

Supergravity is a quantum field theory of elemental particles based on Supersymmetry theories, which is consistent with General Relativity on local scales (as opposed to global scales). In Supergravity the supersymmetry is local, meaning that its transformations vary over space-time rather than being global, where all transformations are uniform over space-time. By treating gravity in this way infinite quantities (singularities) in the equations that are usually "renormalized" away - cancelled out - are avoided altogether.

Supergravity theories predict the existence of a boson (a force-carrying particle known as the graviton [spin-2] and its fermionic superpartner, the gravitino (spin 3/2), both of which are massless. Neither particle has been detected. The minimal supergravity model [mSUGRA] is one of the most thoroughly investigated models in particle physics because it requires only 4 input parameters. Supergravity's spin groups (Lorentz transformations on total spin axes) were said to mediate supersymmetry-breaking.

Supergravity theories have fallen out of favor in recent years due to the necessity of an unrealistically large cosmological constant in four dimensions, thus requires fine-tuning without at least another seven dimensions (as in 11-dimensional string theories).

Web Resources On Supergravity

Supergravity
Supergravity (Wikipedia)

Book Resources On Supergravity

The Nature of Space and Time by Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose
Supersymmetry and Supergravity by Julius Wess and Jonathan Bagger
Supersymmetry and its Applications: Superstrings, Anomalies and Supergravity by G.W. Gibbons, Stephen Hawking, P.K. Townsend, eds.

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