Group Theoretical Foundations of Fractional Supersymmetry

Abstract

Fractional supersymmetry denotes a generalisation of supersymmetry which may be constructed using a single real generalised Grassmann variable, $θ= \barθ, \, θ^n = 0$, for arbitrary integer $n = 2, 3, ...$. An explicit formula is given in the case of general $n$ for the transformations that leave the theory invariant, and it is shown that these transformations possess interesting group properties. It is shown also that the two generalised derivatives that enter the theory have a geometric interpretation as generators of left and right transformations of the fractional supersymmetry group. Careful attention is paid to some technically important issues, including differentiation, that arise as a result of the peculiar nature of quantities such as $θ$.