On a ℤ2n-Graded Version of Supersymmetry

We extend the notion of super-Minkowski space-time to include Z 2 n -graded (Majorana) spinor coordinates. Our choice of the grading leads to spinor coordinates that are nilpotent but commute amongst themselves. The mathematical framework we employ is the recently developed category of Z 2 n -manifolds understood as locally ringed spaces. The formalism we present resembles N -extended superspace (in the presence of central charges), but with some subtle differences due to the exotic nature of the grading employed.

THE QUANTUM MECHANICS OF AN N=1 SUPERPARTICLE IN AN EXTENDED SUPERSPACE

A new ten-dimensional superparticle action with local symmetries implemented via gauge fields is formulated in a superspace with an extra anticommuting space-time spinor coordinate. Light-cone quantization gives the spectrum of N=1 super-Yang-Mills. Covariant gauge choices in which the gauge fields are set to constants lead to free BRST-invariant quantum actions. Possible ghost systems include one with only a finite number of ghosts and several with an infinite number. In each case, the BRST cohomology class of zero ghost number gives the spectrum of N=1 super-Yang-Mills.