1 99 4 BONN - TH - 94 - 02 hep - th / xxxxxx April 1994 Sigma models in ( 4 , 4 ) harmonic superspace

We define basics of (4, 4) 2D harmonic superspace with two independent sets of SU (2) harmonic variables and apply it to construct new superfield actions of (4, 4) supersymmetric two-dimensional sigma models with torsion and mutually commuting left and right complex structures, as well as of their massive deformations. We show that the generic off-shell sigma model action is the general action of constrained analytic superfields q (1,1) representing twisted N = 4 multiplets in (4, 4) harmonic superspace. The massive term of q (1,1) is shown to be unique; it generates a scalar potential the form of which is determined by the metric on the target bosonic manifold. We discuss in detail (4, 4) supersymmetric group manifold SU (2) × U (1) WZNW sigma model and its Liouville deformation. A deep analogy of the relevant superconformally invariant analytic superfield action to that of the improved tensor N = 2 4D multiplet is found. We define (4, 4) duality transformation and find new off-shell dual representations of the previously constructed actions via unconstrained analytic (4, 4) superfields. The main peculiarities of the (4, 4) duality transformation are: (i) it preserves manifest (4, 4) supersymmetry; (ii) dual actions reveal a gauge invariance needed for the on-shell equivalence to the original description; (iii) in the actions dual to the massive ones 2D supersymmetry is modified off shell by SU (2) tensor central charges. The dual representation suggests some hints of how to describe (4, 4) models with non-commuting complex structures in the harmonic superspace.