De Sitter decay through goldstino evaporation

We study supergravity theories with supersymmetry intrinsically non-linearly realized supported only by four-form flux. We demonstrate that supersymmetry can be restored by the evaporation of the goldstino multiplet. Such procedure requires the existence of a super-extremal 2-brane, in accordance with the WGC, and suggests an imminent decay in de Sitter supergravity, leaving the system to relax in supersymmetric AdS after the transition. In particular, the same decay mechanism also implies that the KKLT de Sitter vacua are short-lived. Our findings thus provide an effective realization of KPV-type of decays within 4D supergravity and in this way may reconcile the nilpotent superfield constructions of de Sitter with some aspects of the swampland program.

Automated summary

By evaporating the goldstino multiplet, supersymmetry can be restored in supergravity theories with non-linearly realized supersymmetry supported by four-form flux. The existence of a super-extremal 2-brane is required for this procedure, in accordance with the WGC, and implies an imminent decay in de Sitter supergravity, leading to relaxation in supersymmetric AdS after the transition. The same decay mechanism also suggests that the KKLT de Sitter vacua are short-lived, providing a realization of KPV-type decays within 4D supergravity.