Publisher's Synopsis
Since physicists introduced supersymmetry in the mid 1970s, there have been great advances in the understanding of supersymmetric quantum field theories and string theories. These advances have had important mathematical consequences as well. The lectures featured in this book treat fundamental concepts necessary for understanding the physics behind these mathematical applications. Freed approaches the topic with the assumption that the basic notions of supersymmetric field theory are unfamiliar to most mathematicians. He presents the material intending to impart a firm grounding in the elementary ideas.The first half of the book offers expository introductions to superalgebras, supermanifolds, classical field theory, free quantum theories, and super Poincare groups. The second half covers specific models and describes some of their geometric features. The overall aim is to explain the classical supersymmetric field theories that are basic for applications in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, thereby providing readers with sufficient background to explore the quantum ideas.
