A Genus-3 Topological Recursion Relation

In this paper, we give a new genus-3 topological recursion relation for Gromov-Witten invariants of compact symplectic manifolds. This formula also applies to intersection numbers on moduli spaces of spin curves. A by-product of the proof of this formula is a new relation in the tautological ring of the moduli space of 1-pointed genus-3 stable curves. Research of the first author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0204824 Research of the second author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0505835     

Higher algebraic structures and quantization

We derive (quasi-)quantum groups in 2+1 dimensional topological field theory directly from the classical action and the path integral. Detailed computations are carried out for the Chern-Simons theory with finite gauge group. The principles behind our computations are presumably more general. We extend the classical action in ad+1 dimensional topological theory to manifolds of dimension less thand+1. We then construct a generalized path integral which ind+1 dimensions reduces to the standard one and ind dimensions reproduces the quantum Hilbert space. In a 2+1 dimensional topological theory the path integral over the circle is the category of representations of a quasi-quantum group. In this paper we only consider finite theories, in which the generalized path integral reduces to a finite sum. New ideas are needed to extend beyond the finite theories treated here.The author is supported by NSF grant DMS-8805684, a Presidential Young Investigators award DMS-9057144, and by the O'Donnell Foundation. He warmly thanks the Geometry Center at the University of Minnesota for their hospitality while this work was undertaken     

Topological Calculation of the Phase of the Determinant of a Non Self-Adjoint Elliptic Operator

We study the zeta-regularized determinant of a non self-adjoint elliptic operator on a closed odd-dimensional manifold. We show that, if the spectrum of the operator is symmetric with respect to the imaginary axis, then the determinant is real and its sign is determined by the parity of the number of the eigenvalues of the operator, which lie on the positive part of the imaginary axis. It follows that, for many geometrically defined operators, the phase of the determinant is a topological invariant. In numerous examples, coming from geometry and physics, we calculate the phase of the determinants in purely topological terms. Some of those examples were known in physical literature, but no mathematically rigorous proofs and no general theory were available until now.The first author was partially supported by the Alfred P. Sloan foundation.The second author was partially supported by the NSF grant DMS-0204421.     

Chern-Simons theory with finite gauge group

We construct in detail a 2+1 dimensional gauge field theory with finite gauge group. In this case the path integral reduces to a finite sum, so there are no analytic problems with the quantization. The theory was originally introduced by Dijkgraaf and Witten without details. The point of working it out carefully is to focus on the algebraic structure, and particularly the construction of quantum Hilbert spaces on closed surfaces by cutting and pasting. This includes the Verlinde formula. The careful development may serve as a model for dealing with similar issues in more complicated cases.The first author is supported by NSF grant DMS-8805684, an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, a Presidential Young Investigators award, and by the O'Donnell Foundation. The second author is supported by NSF grant DMS-9207973     

On algebraic equations satisfied by hypergeometric correlators in WZW models. I

It is proven that integral expressions for conformal correlators insl(2) WZW model found in [SV] satisfy certain natural algebraic equations. This implies that the above integrals really take their values in spaces of conformal blocks.The second author was supported in part by the NSF grant DMS-9202280. The third author was supported in part by the NSF grant DMS-9203939     

On the Averages of Characteristic Polynomials From Classical Groups

We provide an elementary and self-contained derivation of formulae for averages of products and ratios of characteristic polynomials of random matrices from classical groups using classical results due to Weyl and Littlewood. The first author was supported in part by the NSF grant FRG DMS-0354662. The second author was supported in part by the NSF postdoctoral fellowship and by the NSF grant DMS-0501245.     

Conjugacies for Tiling Dynamical Systems

We consider tiling dynamical systems and topological conjugacies between them. We prove that the criterion of being of finite type is invariant under topological conjugacy. For substitution tiling systems under rather general conditions, including the Penrose and pinwheel systems, we show that substitutions are invertible and that conjugacies are generalized sliding block codes.Research supported in part by NSF Vigre Grant DMS-0091946Research supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-0071643 and Texas ARP Grant 003658-158Acknowledgement The authors are grateful for the support of the Banff International Research Station, at which we formulated and proved Theorem 3.     

On operad structures of moduli spaces and string theory

We construct a real compactification of the moduli space of punctured rational algebraic curves and show how its geometry yields operads governing homotopy Lie algebras, gravity algebras and Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras. These algebras appeared recently in the context of string theory, and we give a simple deduction of these algebraic structures from the formal axioms of conformal field theory and string theory.To the memory of Ansgar SchnizerResearch supported by an NSF Postdoctoral Research FellowshipResearch supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9206929 and a Research and Study Leave from the University of North Carolina-Chapel HillResearch supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9108269.A03     

Holonomy and Skyrme's Model

In this paper we consider two generalizations of the Skyrme model. One is a variational problem for maps from a compact 3-manifold to a compact Lie group. The other is a variational problem for flat connections. We describe the path components of the configuration spaces of smooth fields for each of the variational problems. We prove that the invariants separating the path components are well-defined for (not necessarily smooth) fields with finite Skyrme energy. We prove that for every possible value of these invariants there exists a minimizer of the Skyrme functional. Throughout the paper we emphasize the importance of holonomy in the Skyrme model. Some of the results may be useful in other contexts. In particular, we define the holonomy of a distributionally flat L²_loc connection; the local developing maps for such connections need not be continuous.The first author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0204651.The second author was partially supported by NSF grants DMS-9970638, and DMS-0200670     

Projective embeddings of complex supermanifolds

We generalize the Kodaira Embedding Theorem and Chow's Theorem to the context of families of complex supermanifolds. In particular, we show that every family of super Riemann surfaces is a family of projective superalgebraic varieties.Research supported in part by NSF grant DMS-8704401Research supported in part by NSF grant DMS-4253943Research also supported in part by NSF grant DMS-4253943     

Operadic formulation of topological vertex algebras and Gerstenhaber or Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras

We give the operadic formulation of (weak, strong) topological vertex algebras, which are variants of topological vertex operator algebras studied recently by Lian and Zuckerman. As an application, we obtain a conceptual and geometric construction of the Batalin-Vilkovisky algebraic structure (or the Gerstenhaber algebra structure) on the cohomology of a topological vertex algebra (or of a weak topological vertex algebra) by combining this operadic formulation with a theorem of Getzler (or of Cohen) which formulates Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras (or Gerstenhaber algebras) in terms of the homology of the framed little disk operad (or of the little disk operad).The author is supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9104519     

Geometry of Batalin-Vilkovisky quantization

The geometry ofP-manifolds (odd symplectic manifolds) andSP-manifolds (P-manifolds provided with a volume element) is studied. A complete classification of these manifolds is given. This classification is used to prove some results about Batalin-Vilkovisky procedure of quantization, in particular to obtain a very general result about gauge independence of this procedure.Research supported in part by NSF grant No. DMS-9201366     

A Poisson Structure on Compact Symmetric Spaces

We present some basic results on a natural Poisson structure on any compact symmetric space. The symplectic leaves of this structure are related to the orbits of the corresponding real semisimple group on the complex flag manifold.Acknowledgements We thank Sam Evens for many useful discussions. The first author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0072520. The second author was partially supported by NSF(USA) grants DMS-0105195 and DMS-0072551 and by the HHY Physical Sciences Fund at the University of Hong Kong.     

The spectrum of the kinematic dynamo operator for an ideally conducting fluid

The spectrum of the kinematic dynamo operator for an ideally conducting fluid and the spectrum of the corresponding group acting in the space of continuous divergence free vector fields on a compact Riemannian manifold are described. We prove that the spectrum of the kinematic dynamo operator is exactly one vertical strip whose boundaries can be determined in terms of the Lyapunov-Oseledets exponents with respect to all ergodic measures for the Eulerian flow. Also, we prove that the spectrum of the corresponding group is obtained from the spectrum of its generator by exponentiation. In particular, the growth bound for the group coincides with the spectral bound for the generator.supported by the NSF grant DMS-9303767supported by the NSF grant DMS-9400518 and by the Summer Research Fellowship of the University of Missourisupported by the NSF grant DMS-9201357     

An Integral Spectral Representation of the Propagator for the Wave Equation in the Kerr Geometry

We consider the scalar wave equation in the Kerr geometry for Cauchy data which is smooth and compactly supported outside the event horizon. We derive an integral representation which expresses the solution as a superposition of solutions of the radial and angular ODEs which arise in the separation of variables. In particular, we prove completeness of the solutions of the separated ODEs. This integral representation is a suitable starting point for a detailed analysis of the long-time dynamics of scalar waves in the Kerr geometry. Research supported by NSERC grant # RGPIN 105490-2004. Research supported in part by the NSF, Grant No. DMS-010-3998. Research supported in part by the NSF, Grant No. 33-585-7510-2-30.     

Supersymmetry and localization

We study conditions under which an odd symmetry of the integrand leads to localization of the corresponding integral over a (super)manifold. We also show that in many cases these conditions guarantee exactness of the stationary phase approximation of such integrals. Research is partially supported by NSF grant No. DMS-9500704.     

Setting the Quantum Integrand of M-Theory

In anomaly-free quantum field theories the integrand in the bosonic functional integral—the exponential of the effective action after integrating out fermions—is often defined only up to a phase without an additional choice. We term this choice ``setting the quantum integrand'. In the low-energy approximation to M-theory the E₈-model for the C-field allows us to set the quantum integrand using geometric index theory. We derive mathematical results of independent interest about pfaffians of Dirac operators in 8k+3 dimensions, both on closed manifolds and manifolds with boundary. These theorems are used to set the quantum integrand of M-theory for closed manifolds and for compact manifolds with either temporal (global) or spatial (local) boundary conditions. In particular, we show that M-theory makes sense on arbitrary 11-manifolds with spatial boundary, generalizing the construction of heterotic M-theory on cylinders. The work of D.F. is supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0305505. The work of G.M. is supported in part by DOE grant DE-FG02-96ER40949     

Formulas for the derivative and critical points of topological entropy for Anosov and geodesic flows

This paper represents part of a program to understand the behavior of topological entropy for Anosov and geodesic flows. In this paper, we have two goals. First we obtain some regularity results forC ¹ perturbations. Second, and more importantly, we obtain explicit formulas for the derivative of topological entropy. These formulas allow us to characterize the critical points of topological entropy on the space of negatively curved metrics.Partially supported by NSF grant DMS-8514630Chaim Weizmann Research Fellow and NSF postdoctoral Research Fellow     

Completely integrable gradient flows

In this paper we exhibit the Toda lattice equations in a double bracket form which shows they are gradient flow equations (on their isospectral set) on an adjoint orbit of a compact Lie group. Representations for the flows are given and a convexity result associated with a momentum map is proved. Some general properties of the double bracket equations are demonstrated, including a discussion of their invariant subspaces, and their function as a Lie algebraic sorter.Supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-90-02136, NSF PYI Grant DMS-9157556, and a Seed Grant from Ohio State UniversitySupported in part by AFOSR grant AFOSR-96-0197, by U.S. Army Research Office grant DAAL03-86-K-0171 and by NSF grant CDR-85-00108Supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-8922699