Supervertices and Non-renormalization Conditions in Maximal Supergravity Theories

Abstract

We construct higher derivative supervertices in an effective theory of maximal supergravity in various dimensions, in the super spinor helicity formalism, and derive non-renormalization conditions on up to 14-derivative order couplings from supersymmetry. These non-renormalization conditions include Laplace type equations on the coefficients of $R^4$, $D^4R^4$, and $D^6R^4$ couplings. We also find additional constraining equations, which are consistent with previously known results in the effective action of toroidally compactified type II string theory, and elucidate many features thereof.

52 pages, 6 figures, reference added, section 3 expanded and section 5 restructured