This book provides a self-contained presentation of supergravity theories from its fundamentals to its most recent union with string and superstring theories, which are also reviewed in a self-contained manner. The subject is presented consistently in a unified geometric formalism, relying on the calculus of exterior forms and the mathematics needed to develop the theory is explained in appropriate chapters.

The topics covered in this book include: Aspects of Quantum gravity. Introduction to supersymmetry. Supersymmetric field theories and the gauge covariant field theory of strings. Superspace and supergraphs. Connection between supergravity and strings. Introduction to superstring. Scatter coupling supergravity - general features and new results. Supersymmetry, supergravity and superstring phenomenology. Kaluza klein and superstrings.

Self-contained and comprehensive, this definitive new edition provides a complete overview of the intersection of gravity, supergravity, and superstrings.

This volume contains papers presented at the Nuffield Workshop on supersymmetry and its applications held at Cambridge in the summer of 1985 and attended by many of the leading experts in the field. In physical terms, supersymmetry is a symmetry or gauge invariance which connects bosons (particles with integer spin) with fermions (particles with half integer spin). The study of supersymmetry has led to the construction of Yang-Mills theories, which are the first field theories to be free of the divergences that usually occur in quantum theories, with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. It has also led to the construction of supergravity and superstring theories which seem to be the best hope for a complete unified theory of all physical interactions including gravity. Supersymmetry and its Applications reviews a number of recent advances in the area of anomalies, the topology of gauge theories, superstrings, supergravity and super Yang-Mills theory.The papers, written by both physicists and mathematicians, include both expository articles and progress reports describing most recent developments.

Self-contained and comprehensive, this definitive new edition of Gravity and Strings is a unique resource for graduate students and researchers in theoretical physics. From basic differential geometry through to the construction and study of black-hole and black-brane solutions in quantum gravity - via all the intermediate stages - this book provides a complete overview of the intersection of gravity, supergravity, and superstrings. Now fully revised, this second edition covers an extensive array of topics, including new material on non-linear electric-magnetic duality, the electric-tensor formalism, matter-coupled supergravity, supersymmetric solutions, the geometries of scalar manifolds appearing in 4- and 5-dimensional supergravities, and much more. Covering reviews of important solutions and numerous solution-generating techniques, and accompanied by an exhaustive index and bibliography, this is an exceptional reference work.