Supergravity, M theory and Cosmology

Abstract

We discuss some recent attempts to reconcile cosmology with supergravity and M/string theory. First of all, we point out that in extended supergravities the scalar masses are quantized in terms of the cosmological constant in de Sitter vacua: the eigenvalues of the Casimir operator 3 m^2/Λtake integer values. For the current value of the cosmological constant extended supergravities predict ultra light scalars with the mass of the order of Hubble constant, 10^{-33} eV. This may have interesting consequences for cosmology. Turning our attention to cosmological implications of M/string theory, we present a possibility to use string theory D-brane constructions to reproduce the main features of hybrid inflation. We stress an important role played by Fayet-Iliopoulos terms responsible for the positive contribution to the potentials and stabilization of moduli.

24 pages, a talk at Stephen Hawking's 60th birthday conference, Cambridge University, Jan. 2002