We provide a taxonomy of dynamical supersymmetry-breaking theories, and discuss the cosmological implications of the various types of models. Models in which supersymmetry breaking is produced by chiral superfields which only have interactions of gravitational strength (e.g., string theory moduli) are inconsistent with standard big bang nucleosynthesis unless the gravitino mass is greater than Å3 × ${10}^4$ GeV. This problem cannot be solved by inflation. Models in which supersymmetry is dynamically broken by renormalizable interactions in flat space have no such cosmological problems. Supersymmetry can be broken either in a hidden or the visible sector. However, hidden sector models suffer from several naturalness problems and have difficulties in producing an acceptably large gluino mass.

• Received 23 August 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.49.779