β-supergravity: a ten-dimensional theory with non-geometric fluxes, and its geometric framework

Abstract

We present a ten-dimensional theory, named β-supergravity, that contains non-geometric fluxes and could uplift some four-dimensional gauged supergravities. Building on earlier work, we study here its NSNS sector, where Q- and R-fluxes are precisely identified. Interestingly, the Q-flux is captured in an analogue of the Levi-Civita spin connection, giving rise to a second curvature scalar. We reproduce the ten-dimensional Lagrangian using the Generalized Geometry formalism; this provides us with enlightening interpretations of the new structures. Then, we derive the equations of motion of our theory, and finally discuss further aspects: the dimensional reduction to four dimensions and comparison to gauged supergravities, the obtention of ten-dimensional purely NSNS solutions, the extensions to other sectors and new objects, the supergravity limit, and eventually the symmetries, in particular the βgauge transformation. We also introduce the related notion of a generalized cotangent bundle.