Elliptic Genera of Two-Dimensional {\mathcal{N} = 2} Gauge Theories with Rank-One Gauge Groups

We compute the elliptic genera of two-dimensional ${\mathcal{N} = (2, 2)}$ and ${\mathcal{N} = (0, 2)}$ -gauged linear sigma models via supersymmetric localization, for rank-one gauge groups. The elliptic genus is expressed as a sum over residues of a meromorphic function whose argument is the holonomy of the gauge field along both the spatial and the temporal directions of the torus. We illustrate our formulas by a few examples including the quintic Calabi–Yau, ${\mathcal{N} = (2, 2)}$ SU(2) and O(2) gauge theories coupled to N fundamental chiral multiplets, and a geometric ${\mathcal{N} = (0, 2)}$ model.     

Vortex Counting and Lagrangian 3-Manifolds

To every 3-manifold M one can associate a two-dimensional ${\mathcal{N}=(2, 2)}$ supersymmetric field theory by compactifying five-dimensional ${\mathcal{N}=2}$ super-Yang?CMills theory on M. This system naturally appears in the study of half-BPS surface operators in four-dimensional ${\mathcal{N}=2}$ gauge theories on one hand, and in the geometric approach to knot homologies, on the other. We study the relation between vortex counting in such two-dimensional ${\mathcal{N}=(2, 2)}$ supersymmetric field theories and the refined BPS invariants of the dual geometries. In certain cases, this counting can also be mapped to the computation of degenerate conformal blocks in two-dimensional CFT??s. Degenerate limits of vertex operators in CFT receive a simple interpretation via geometric transitions in BPS counting.     

Finite W-Superalgebras and Truncated Super Yangians

Let ${Y_{m|n}^{\ell}}$ be the super Yangian of general linear Lie superalgebra for ${\mathfrak{gl}_{m|n}}$ . Let ${e \in \mathfrak{gl}_{m\ell|n\ell}}$ be a “rectangular” nilpotent element and ${\mathcal{W}_e}$ be the finite W-superalgebra associated to e. We show that ${Y_{m|n}^{\ell}}$ is isomorphic to ${\mathcal{W}_e}$ .     

Gauge Theories on ALE Space and Super Liouville Correlation Functions

We present a relation between ${\mathcal{N}=2}$ quiver gauge theories on the ALE space ${\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}^1}(-2)}$ and correlators of ${\mathcal{N}=1}$ super Liouville conformal field theory, providing checks in the case of punctured spheres and tori. We derive a blow-up formula for the full Nekrasov partition function and show that, up to a U(1) factor, the ${\mathcal{N}=2^*}$ instanton partition function is given by the product of the character of ${\widehat{SU}(2)_2}$ times the super Virasoro conformal block on the torus with one puncture. Moreover, we match the perturbative gauge theory contribution with super Liouville three-point functions.     

Gauge Theories Labelled by Three-Manifolds

We propose a dictionary between geometry of triangulated 3-manifolds and physics of three-dimensional ${\mathcal{N} = 2}$ gauge theories. Under this duality, standard operations on triangulated 3-manifolds and various invariants thereof (classical as well as quantum) find a natural interpretation in field theory. For example, independence of the SL(2) Chern-Simons partition function on the choice of triangulation translates to a statement that ${S^{3}_{b}}$ partition functions of two mirror 3d ${\mathcal{N} = 2}$ gauge theories are equal. Three-dimensional ${\mathcal{N} = 2}$ field theories associated to 3-manifolds can be thought of as theories that describe boundary conditions and duality walls in four-dimensional ${\mathcal{N} = 2}$ SCFTs, thus making the whole construction functorial with respect to cobordisms and gluing.     

How to Add a Boundary Condition

Given a conformal QFT local net of von Neumann algebras ${\mathcal {B}_2}$ on the two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime with irreducible subnet ${\mathcal {A} \otimes \mathcal {A}}$ , where ${\mathcal {A}}$ is a completely rational net on the left/right light-ray, we show how to consistently add a boundary to ${\mathcal {B}_2}$ : we provide a procedure to construct a Boundary CFT net ${\mathcal {B}}$ of von Neumann algebras on the half-plane x >  0, associated with ${\mathcal {A}}$ , and locally isomorphic to ${\mathcal {B}_2}$ . All such locally isomorphic Boundary CFT nets arise in this way. There are only finitely many locally isomorphic Boundary CFT nets and we get them all together. In essence, we show how to directly redefine the C* representation of the restriction of ${\mathcal {B}_2}$ to the half-plane by means of subfactors and local conformal nets of von Neumann algebras on S ¹.     

Haag Duality and the Distal Split Property for Cones in the Toric Code

We prove that Haag duality holds for cones in the toric code model. That is, for a cone ??, the algebra ${\mathcal{R}_{\Lambda}}$ of observables localized in ?? and the algebra ${\mathcal{R}_{\Lambda^c}}$ of observables localized in the complement ?? ^c generate each other??s commutant as von Neumann algebras. Moreover, we show that the distal split property holds: if ${\Lambda_1 \subset \Lambda_2}$ are two cones whose boundaries are well separated, there is a Type I factor ${\mathcal{N}}$ such that ${\mathcal{R}_{\Lambda_1} \subset \mathcal{N} \subset \mathcal{R}_{\Lambda_2}}$ . We demonstrate this by explicitly constructing ${\mathcal{N}}$ .     

Optimal Paths for Symmetric Actions in the Unitary Group

Given a positive and unitarily invariant Lagrangian ${\mathcal{L}}$ defined in the algebra of matrices, and a fixed time interval ${[0,t_0]\subset\mathbb R}$ , we study the action defined in the Lie group of ${n\times n}$ unitary matrices ${\mathcal{U}(n)}$ by $$\mathcal{S}(\alpha)=\int_0^{t_0} \mathcal{L}(\dot\alpha(t))\,dt, $$ where ${\alpha:[0,t_0]\to\mathcal{U}(n)}$ is a rectifiable curve. We prove that the one-parameter subgroups of ${\mathcal{U}(n)}$ are the optimal paths, provided the spectrum of the exponent is bounded by π. Moreover, if ${\mathcal{L}}$ is strictly convex, we prove that one-parameter subgroups are the unique optimal curves joining given endpoints. Finally, we also study the connection of these results with unitarily invariant metrics in ${\mathcal{U}(n)}$ as well as angular metrics in the Grassmann manifold.     

Joint System Quantum Descriptions Arising from Local Quantumness

We study the entropy flux in the stationary state of a finite one-dimensional sample ${\mathcal{S}}$ connected at its left and right ends to two infinitely extended reservoirs ${\mathcal{R}_{l/r}}$ at distinct (inverse) temperatures ${\beta_{l/r}}$ and chemical potentials ${\mu_{l/r}}$ . The sample is a free lattice Fermi gas confined to a box [0, L] with energy operator ${h_{\mathcal{S}, L}= - \Delta + v}$ . The Landauer-Büttiker formula expresses the steady state entropy flux in the coupled system ${\mathcal{R}_l + \mathcal{S} + \mathcal{R}_r}$ in terms of scattering data. We study the behaviour of this steady state entropy flux in the limit ${L \to \infty}$ and relate persistence of transport to norm bounds on the transfer matrices of the limiting half-line Schrödinger operator ${h_\mathcal{S}}$ .     

Some Properties of Generalized Quantum Operations

Let $\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$ be the set of all bounded linear operators on the separable Hilbert space  $\mathcal{H}$ . A (generalized) quantum operation is a bounded linear operator defined on  $\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$ , which has the form $\varPhi_{\mathcal{A}}(X)=\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}A_{i}XA_{i}^{*}$ , where $A_{i}\in\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$ (i=1,2,…) satisfy $\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}A_{i}A_{i}^{*}\leq \nobreak I$ in the strong operator topology. In this paper, we establish the relationship between the (generalized) quantum operation $\varPhi_{\mathcal{A}}$ and its dual $\varPhi_{\mathcal {A}}^{\dag}$ with respect to the set of fixed points and the noiseless subspace. In particular, we also partially characterize the extreme points of the set of all (generalized) quantum operations and give some equivalent conditions for the correctable quantum channel.     

The Lie–Rinehart Universal Poisson Algebra of Classical and Quantum Mechanics

The Lie–Rinehart algebra of a (connected) manifold ${\mathcal {M}}$ , defined by the Lie structure of the vector fields, their action and their module structure over ${C^\infty({\mathcal {M}})}$ , is a common, diffeomorphism invariant, algebra for both classical and quantum mechanics. Its (noncommutative) Poisson universal enveloping algebra ${\Lambda_{R}({\mathcal {M}})}$ , with the Lie–Rinehart product identified with the symmetric product, contains a central variable (a central sequence for non-compact ${{\mathcal {M}}}$ ) ${Z}$ which relates the commutators to the Lie products. Classical and quantum mechanics are its only factorial realizations, corresponding to Z  =  i z, z  =  0 and ${z = \hbar}$ , respectively; canonical quantization uniquely follows from such a general geometrical structure. For ${z =\hbar \neq 0}$ , the regular factorial Hilbert space representations of ${\Lambda_{R}({\mathcal{M}})}$ describe quantum mechanics on ${{\mathcal {M}}}$ . For z  =  0, if Diff( ${{\mathcal {M}}}$ ) is unitarily implemented, they are unitarily equivalent, up to multiplicity, to the representation defined by classical mechanics on ${{\mathcal {M}}}$ .     

Stability of Black Holes and Black Branes

We establish a new criterion for the dynamical stability of black holes in D ≥ 4 spacetime dimensions in general relativity with respect to axisymmetric perturbations: Dynamical stability is equivalent to the positivity of the canonical energy, ${\mathcal{E}}$ , on a subspace, ${\mathcal{T}}$ , of linearized solutions that have vanishing linearized ADM mass, momentum, and angular momentum at infinity and satisfy certain gauge conditions at the horizon. This is shown by proving that—apart from pure gauge perturbations and perturbations towards other stationary black holes— ${\mathcal{E}}$ is nondegenerate on ${\mathcal{T}}$ and that, for axisymmetric perturbations, ${\mathcal{E}}$ has positive flux properties at both infinity and the horizon. We further show that ${\mathcal{E}}$ is related to the second order variations of mass, angular momentum, and horizon area by ${\mathcal{E} = \delta^2 M -\sum_A \Omega_A \delta^2 J_A - \frac{\kappa}{8\pi}\delta^2 A}$ , thereby establishing a close connection between dynamical stability and thermodynamic stability. Thermodynamic instability of a family of black holes need not imply dynamical instability because the perturbations towards other members of the family will not, in general, have vanishing linearized ADM mass and/or angular momentum. However, we prove that for any black brane corresponding to a thermodynamically unstable black hole, sufficiently long wavelength perturbations can be found with ${\mathcal{E} < 0}$ and vanishing linearized ADM quantities. Thus, all black branes corresponding to thermodynmically unstable black holes are dynamically unstable, as conjectured by Gubser and Mitra. We also prove that positivity of ${\mathcal{E}}$ on ${\mathcal{T}}$ is equivalent to the satisfaction of a “ local Penrose inequality,” thus showing that satisfaction of this local Penrose inequality is necessary and sufficient for dynamical stability. Although we restrict our considerations in this paper to vacuum general relativity, most of the results of this paper are derived using general Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods and therefore can be straightforwardly generalized to allow for the presence of matter fields and/or to the case of an arbitrary diffeomorphism covariant gravitational action.     

Coset Constructions of Logarithmic (1, p) Models

One of the best understood families of logarithmic onformal field theories consists of the (1, p) models (p =  2, 3, . . .) of central charge c _{1, p} =1 ? 6(p ? 1)²/p. This family includes the theories corresponding to the singlet algebras ${\mathcal{M}(p)}$ and the triplet algebras ${\mathcal{W}(p)}$ , as well as the ubiquitous symplectic fermions theory. In this work, these algebras are realised through a coset construction. The ${W^{(2)}_n}$ algebra of level k was introduced by Feigin and Semikhatov as a (conjectured) quantum hamiltonian reduction of ${\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}(n)_k}$ , generalising the Bershadsky–Polyakov algebra ${W^{(2)}_3}$ . Inspired by work of Adamovi? for p = 3, vertex algebras ${\mathcal{B}_p}$ are constructed as subalgebras of the kernel of certain screening charges acting on a rank 2 lattice vertex algebra of indefinite signature. It is shown that for p≤5, the algebra ${\mathcal{B}_p}$ is a quotient of ${W^{(2)}_{p-1}}$ at level ?(p ? 1)²/p and that the known part of the operator product algebra of the latter algebra is consistent with this holding for p> 5 as well. The triplet algebra ${\mathcal{W}(p)}$ is then realised as a coset inside the full kernel of the screening operator, while the singlet algebra ${\mathcal{M}(p)}$ is similarly realised inside ${\mathcal{B}_p}$ . As an application, and to illustrate these results, the coset character decompositions are explicitly worked out for p =  2 and 3.     

Courant–Dorfman Algebras and their Cohomology

We introduce a new type of algebra, the Courant–Dorfman algebra. These are to Courant algebroids what Lie–Rinehart algebras are to Lie algebroids, or Poisson algebras to Poisson manifolds. We work with arbitrary rings and modules, without any regularity, finiteness or non-degeneracy assumptions. To each Courant–Dorfman algebra ${(\mathcal{R}, \mathcal{E})}$ we associate a differential graded algebra ${\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ in a functorial way by means of explicit formulas. We describe two canonical filtrations on ${\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ , and derive an analogue of the Cartan relations for derivations of ${\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ ; we classify central extensions of ${\mathcal{E}}$ in terms of ${H^2(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ and study the canonical cocycle ${\Theta \in \mathcal{C}^3(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ whose class ${[\Theta]}$ obstructs re-scalings of the Courant–Dorfman structure. In the nondegenerate case, we also explicitly describe the Poisson bracket on ${\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ ; for Courant–Dorfman algebras associated to Courant algebroids over finite-dimensional smooth manifolds, we prove that the Poisson dg algebra ${\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{E}, \mathcal{R})}$ is isomorphic to the one constructed in Roytenberg (On the structure of graded symplectic supermanifolds and Courant algebroids. American Mathematical Society, Providence, 2002) using graded manifolds.     

The Weil Algebra of a Hopf Algebra I: A Noncommutative Framework

We generalize the notion, introduced by Henri Cartan, of an operation of a Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{g}}$ in a graded differential algebra Ω. We define the notion of an operation of a Hopf algebra ${\mathcal{H}}$ in a graded differential algebra Ω which is referred to as a ${\mathcal{H}}$ -operation. We then generalize for such an operation the notion of algebraic connection. Finally we discuss the corresponding noncommutative version of the Weil algebra: The Weil algebra ${W(\mathcal{H})}$ of the Hopf algebra ${\mathcal{H}}$ is the universal initial object of the category of ${\mathcal{H}}$ -operations with connections.     

Difference Operators of Sklyanin and van Diejen Type

The Sklyanin algebra ${\mathcal{S}_{\eta}}$ has a well-known family of infinite-dimensional representations ${\mathcal{D}(\mu), {\mu}\,{\in}\,\mathbb{C}^{\ast}}$ , in terms of difference operators with shift η acting on even meromorphic functions. We show that for generic η the coefficients of these operators have solely simple poles, with linear residue relations depending on their locations. More generally, we obtain explicit necessary and sufficient conditions on a difference operator for it to belong to ${\mathcal{D}(\mu)}$ . By definition, the even part of ${\mathcal{D}(\mu)}$ is generated by twofold products of the Sklyanin generators. We prove that any sum of the latter products yields a difference operator of van Diejen type. We also obtain kernel identities for the Sklyanin generators. They give rise to order-reversing involutive automorphisms of ${\mathcal{D}(\mu)}$ , and are shown to entail previously known kernel identities for the van Diejen operators. Moreover, for special μ they yield novel finite-dimensional representations of ${\mathcal{S}_{\eta}}$ .     

An Algebraic Construction of Boundary Quantum Field Theory

We build up local, time translation covariant Boundary Quantum Field Theory nets of von Neumann algebras ${\mathcal A_V}$ on the Minkowski half-plane M ₊ starting with a local conformal net ${\mathcal A}$ of von Neumann algebras on ${\mathbb R}$ and an element V of a unitary semigroup ${\mathcal E(\mathcal A)}$ associated with ${\mathcal A}$ . The case V?=?1 reduces to the net ${\mathcal A_+}$ considered by Rehren and one of the authors; if the vacuum character of ${\mathcal A}$ is summable, ${\mathcal A_V}$ is locally isomorphic to ${\mathcal A_+}$ . We discuss the structure of the semigroup ${\mathcal E(\mathcal A)}$ . By using a one-particle version of Borchers theorem and standard subspace analysis, we provide an abstract analog of the Beurling-Lax theorem that allows us to describe, in particular, all unitaries on the one-particle Hilbert space whose second quantization promotion belongs to ${\mathcal E(\mathcal A^{(0)})}$ with ${\mathcal A^{(0)}}$ the U(1)-current net. Each such unitary is attached to a scattering function or, more generally, to a symmetric inner function. We then obtain families of models via any Buchholz-Mack-Todorov extension of ${\mathcal A^{(0)}}$ . A further family of models comes from the Ising model.     

Smooth Crossed Products of Rieffel’s Deformations

Assume ${\mathcal{A}}$ is a Fréchet algebra equipped with a smooth isometric action of a vector group V, and consider Rieffel’s deformation ${\mathcal{A}_J}$ of ${\mathcal{A}}$ . We construct an explicit isomorphism between the smooth crossed products ${V\ltimes\mathcal{A}_J}$ and ${V\ltimes\mathcal{A}}$ . When combined with the Elliott–Natsume–Nest isomorphism, this immediately implies that the periodic cyclic cohomology is invariant under deformation. Specializing to the case of smooth subalgebras of C^*-algebras, we also get a simple proof of equivalence of Rieffel’s and Kasprzak’s approaches to deformation.     

Equivariant GW Theory of Stacky Curves

We extend Okounkov and Pandharipande’s work on the equivariant Gromov–Witten theory of ${\mathbb{P}^1}$ to a class of stacky curves ${\mathcal{X}}$ . Our main result uses virtual localization and the orbifold ELSV formula to express the tau function ${\tau_\mathcal{X}}$ as a vacuum expectation on a Fock space. As corollaries, we prove the decomposition conjecture for these ${\mathcal{X}}$ , and prove that ${\tau_\mathcal{X}}$ satisfies a version of the 2-Toda hierarchy. Coupled with degeneration techniques, the result should lead to treatment of general orbifold curves.