Vanishing scalar masses in no-scale supergravity

Abstract

Radiative corrections to the effective scalar potential are studied in no-scale supergravity models with local supersymmetry spontaneously broken by a gravitino mass. A simple proof is given that gauge non-singlet scalar fields acquire no supersymmetry breaking masses at the one-loop level, and a general argument is given extending this result to all orders of perturbation theory in the effective low-energy theory, proving also that no trilinear soft supersymmetry breaking terms in the effective potential are generated. These results are applicable to the four-dimensional no-scale supergravity theory obtained from the superstring after compactification, and support suggestions that the dominant source of global supersymmetry breaking in this theory may be the gaugino mass.