The Geometry of¶(Super) Conformal Quantum Mechanics

Abstract:

N-particle quantum mechanics described by a sigma model with an N-dimensional target space with torsion is considered. It is shown that an SL(2,ℝ) conformal symmetry exists if and only if the geometry admits a homothetic Killing vector D ^aδ _a whose associated one-form D _a dX ^a is closed. Further, the SL(2,ℝ) can always be extended to Osp(1|2) superconformal symmetry, with a suitable choice of torsion, by the addition of N real fermions. Extension to SU(1,1|1) requires a complex structure I and a holomorphic U(1) isometry D ^a I _a ^bδ _b . Conditions for extension to the superconformal group D(2,1;α), which involve a triplet of complex structures and SU(2)×SU(2) isometries, are derived. Examples are given.