Exact Results for Topological Strings on Resolved <Emphasis Type="Italic">Y</Emphasis><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic"> p</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis></Superscript> Singularities

We obtain exact results in α′ for open and closed A-model topological string amplitudes on a large class of toric Calabi-Yau threefolds by using their correspondence with five dimensional gauge theories. The toric Calabi-Yaus that we analyze are obtained as minimal resolution of cones over Y ^p,q manifolds and give rise via M-theory compactification to SU(p) gauge theories on . As an application we present a detailed study of the local case and compute open and closed genus zero Gromov-Witten invariants of the orbifold. We also display the modular structure of the topological wave function and give predictions for higher genus amplitudes. The mirror curve in this case is the spectral curve of the relativistic A ₁ Toda chain. Our results also indicate the existence of a wider class of relativistic integrable systems associated to generic Y ^p,q geometries.     

Topological Strings and (Almost) Modular Forms

The B-model topological string theory on a Calabi-Yau threefold X has a symmetry group Γ, generated by monodromies of the periods of X. This acts on the topological string wave function in a natural way, governed by the quantum mechanics of the phase space H ³(X). We show that, depending on the choice of polarization, the genus g topological string amplitude is either a holomorphic quasi-modular form or an almost holomorphic modular form of weight 0 under Γ. Moreover, at each genus, certain combinations of genus g amplitudes are both modular and holomorphic. We illustrate this for the local Calabi-Yau manifolds giving rise to Seiberg-Witten gauge theories in four dimensions and local IP ₂ and IP ₁ × IP ₁. As a byproduct, we also obtain a simple way of relating the topological string amplitudes near different points in the moduli space, which we use to give predictions for Gromov-Witten invariants of the orbifold .     

Generalized hypergeometric functions and rational curves on Calabi-Yau complete intersections in toric varieties

We formulate general conjectures about the relationship between the A-model connection on the cohomology of ad-dimensional Calabi-Yau complete intersectionV ofr hypersurfacesV ₁ ,...,V _r in a toric varietyP and the system of differential operators annihilating the special generalized hypergeometric series ⁰ constructed from the fan . Using this generalized hypergeometric series, we propose conjectural mirrorsV ofV and the canonicalq-coordinates on the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau manifolds.In the second part of the paper we consider some examples of Calabi-Yau 3-folds having Picard number >1 in products of projective spaces. For conjectural mirrors, using the recurrent relation among coefficients of the restriction of the hypergeometric function ⁰ on a special line in the moduli space, we determine the Picard-Fuchs equation satisfied by periods of this special one-parameter subfamily. This allows to obtain some sequences of integers which can be conjecturally interpreted in terms of Gromov-Witten invariants. Using standard techniques from enumerative geometry, first terms of these sequence of integers are checked to coincide with numbers of rational curves on Calabi-Yau 3-folds.     

A Complete Set of Riemann Invariants

There are at most 14 independent real algebraic invariants of the Riemann tensor in a four-dimensional Lorentzian space. In the general case, these invariants can be written in terms of four different types of quantities: R , the real curvature scalar, two complex invariants I and J formed from the Weyl spinor, three real invariants I₆, I₇ and I₈ formed from the trace-free Ricci spinor and three complex mixed invariants K, L and M. Carminati and McLenaghan [5] give some geometrical interpretations of the role played by the mixed invariants in Einstein-Maxwell and perfect fluid cases. They show that 16 invariants are needed to cover certain degenerate cases such as Einstein-Maxwell and perfect fluid and show that previously known sets fail to be complete in the perfect fluid case. In the general case, the invariants I and J essentially determine the components of the Weyl spinor in a canonical tetrad frame; likewise the invariants I₆, I₇ and I₈ essentially determine the components of the trace-free Ricci spinor in a (in general different) canonical tetrad frame. These mixed invariants then give the orientation between the frames of these two spinors. The six real pieces of information in K, L and M are precisely the information needed to do this. A table is given of invariants which give a complete set for each Petrov type of the Weyl spinor and for each Segre type of the trace-free Ricci spinor This table involves 17 real invariants, including one real invariant and one complex invariant involving , and in some degenerate cases.     

Dynamical Noncommutativity and Noether Theorem in Twisted $${\phi^{\star 4}}$$ Theory

A -product is defined via a set of commuting vector fields , and used in a theory coupled to the fields. The -product is dynamical, and the vacuum solution , reproduces the usual Moyal product. The action is invariant under rigid translations and Lorentz rotations, and the conserved energy–momentum and angular momentum tensors are explicitly derived.      

Critical Points and Supersymmetric Vacua, III: String/M Models

A fundamental problem in contemporary string/M theory is to count the number of inequivalent vacua satisfying constraints in a string theory model. This article contains the first rigorous results on the number and distribution of supersymmetric vacua of type IIb string theories compactified on a Calabi-Yau 3-fold X with flux. In particular, complete proofs of the counting formulas in Ashok-Douglas [AD] and Denef-Douglas [DD1] are given, together with van der Corput style remainder estimates.Supersymmetric vacua are critical points of certain holomorphic sections (flux superpotentials) of a line bundle over the moduli space of complex structures on X × T ² with respect to the Weil-Petersson connection. Flux superpotentials form a lattice of full rank in a 2 b ₃(X)-dimensional real subspace . We show that the density of critical points in for this lattice of sections is well approximated by Gaussian measures of the kind studied in [DSZ1,DSZ2,AD,DD1].Research partially supported by DOE grant DE-FG02-96ER40959 (first author) and NSF grants DMS-0100474 (second author) and DMS-0302518 (third author).     

The Bloch-Okounkov Correlation Functions of Classical Type

Bloch and Okounkov introduced an n-point correlation function on the infinite wedge space and found an elegant closed formula in terms of theta functions. This function has connections to Gromov-Witten theory, Hilbert schemes, symmetric groups, etc., and it can also be interpreted as correlation functions on integrable -modules of level one. Such -correlation functions at higher levels were then calculated by Cheng and Wang. In this paper, generalizing the type A results, we formulate and determine the n-point correlation functions in the sense of Bloch-Okounkov on integrable modules over classical Lie subalgebras of of type B, C, D at arbitrary levels. As byproducts, we obtain new q-dimension formulas for integrable modules of type B, C, D and some fermionic type q-identities.     

Why is \mathcal{CPT} Fundamental?

Lüders and Pauli proved the theorem based on Lagrangian quantum field theory almost half a century ago. Jost gave a more general proof based on “axiomatic” field theory nearly as long ago. The axiomatic point of view has two advantages over the Lagrangian one. First, the axiomatic point of view makes clear why is fundamental—because it is intimately related to Lorentz invariance. Secondly, the axiomatic proof gives a simple way to calculate the transform of any relativistic field without calculating , and separately and then multiplying them. The purpose of this pedagogical paper is to “deaxiomatize” the theorem by explaining it in a few simple steps. We use theorems of distribution theory and of several complex variables without proof to make the exposition elementary.     

Heat Kernel and Number Theory on NC-Torus

The heat trace asymptotics on the noncommutative torus, where generalized Laplacians are made out of left and right regular representations, is fully determined. It turns out that this question is very sensitive to the number-theoretical aspect of the deformation parameters. The central condition we use is of a Diophantine type. More generally, the importance of number theory is made explicit in a few examples. We apply the results to the spectral action computation and revisit the UV/IR mixing phenomenon for a scalar theory. Although we find non-local counterterms in the NC theory on , we show that this theory can be made renormalizable at least at one loop, and maybe even beyond.     

The Spectral Shift Function and Spectral Flow

At the 1974 International Congress, I. M. Singer proposed that eta invariants and hence spectral flow should be thought of as the integral of a one form. In the intervening years this idea has lead to many interesting developments in the study of both eta invariants and spectral flow. Using ideas of [24] Singer’s proposal was brought to an advanced level in [16] where a very general formula for spectral flow as the integral of a one form was produced in the framework of noncommutative geometry. This formula can be used for computing spectral flow in a general semifinite von Neumann algebra as described and reviewed in [5]. In the present paper we take the analytic approach to spectral flow much further by giving a large family of formulae for spectral flow between a pair of unbounded self-adjoint operators D and D +  V with D having compact resolvent belonging to a general semifinite von Neumann algebra and the perturbation . In noncommutative geometry terms we remove summability hypotheses. This level of generality is made possible by introducing a new idea from [3]. There it was observed that M. G. Krein’s spectral shift function (in certain restricted cases with V trace class) computes spectral flow. The present paper extends Krein’s theory to the setting of semifinite spectral triples where D has compact resolvent belonging to and V is any bounded self-adjoint operator in . We give a definition of the spectral shift function under these hypotheses and show that it computes spectral flow. This is made possible by the understanding discovered in the present paper of the interplay between spectral shift function theory and the analytic theory of spectral flow. It is this interplay that enables us to take Singer’s idea much further to create a large class of one forms whose integrals calculate spectral flow. These advances depend critically on a new approach to the calculus of functions of non-commuting operators discovered in [3] which generalizes the double operator integral formalism of [8–10]. One surprising conclusion that follows from our results is that the Krein spectral shift function is computed, in certain circumstances, by the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem [2].     

Hidden Symmetries and Integrable Hierarchy of the $${\mathcal{N}}$$ = 4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Equations

We describe an infinite-dimensional algebra of hidden symmetries of supersymmetric Yang-Mills (SYM) theory. Our derivation is based on a generalization of the supertwistor correspondence. Using the latter, we construct an infinite sequence of flows on the solution space of the SYM equations. The dependence of the SYM fields on the parameters along the flows can be recovered by solving the equations of the hierarchy. We embed the SYM equations in the infinite system of the hierarchy equations and show that this SYM hierarchy is associated with an infinite set of graded symmetries recursively generated from supertranslations. Presumably, the existence of such nonlocal symmetries underlies the observed integrable structures in quantum SYM theory. On leave from Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, JINR, Dubna, Russia. Address after October 1st, 2006: Theoretical Physics Group, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom.     

Spectral Analysis and Zeta Determinant on the Deformed Spheres

We consider a class of singular Riemannian manifolds, the deformed spheres , defined as the classical spheres with a one parameter family g[k] of singular Riemannian structures, that reduces for k = 1 to the classical metric. After giving explicit formulas for the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the metric Laplacian , we study the associated zeta functions . We introduce a general method to deal with some classes of simple and double abstract zeta functions, generalizing the ones appearing in . An application of this method allows to obtain the main zeta invariants for these zeta functions in all dimensions, and in particular and . We give explicit formulas for the zeta regularized determinant in the low dimensional cases, N = 2,3, thus generalizing a result of Dowker [25], and we compute the first coefficients in the expansion of these determinants in powers of the deformation parameter k. Partially supported by FAPESP: 2005/04363-4     

Parametric Representation of Noncommutative Field Theory

In this paper we investigate the Schwinger parametric representation for the Feynman amplitudes of the recently discovered renormalizable quantum field theory on the Moyal non commutative space. This representation involves new hyperbolic polynomials which are the non-commutative analogs of the usual “Kirchoff” or “Symanzik” polynomials of commutative field theory, but contain richer topological information. Work supported by ANR grant NT05-3-43374 “GenoPhy”.     

Measures on Banach Manifolds and Supersymmetric Quantum Field Theory

We show how to construct measures on Banach manifolds associated to supersymmetric quantum field theories. These measures are mathematically well-defined objects inspired by the formal path integrals appearing in the physics literature on quantum field theory. We give three concrete examples of our construction. The first example is a family of measures on a space of functions on the two-torus, parametrized by a polynomial P (the Wess-Zumino-Landau-Ginzburg model). The second is a family of measures on a space of maps from to a Lie group (the Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten model). Finally we study a family of measures on the product of a space of connections on the trivial principal bundle with structure group G on a three-dimensional manifold M with a space of -valued three-forms on M. We show that these measures are positive, and that the measures are Borel probability measures. As an application we show that formulas arising from expectations in the measures reproduce formulas discovered by Frenkel and Zhu in the theory of vertex operator algebras. We conjecture that a similar computation for the measures , where M is a homology three-sphere, will yield the Casson invariant of M. Dedicated to the memory of Raoul Bott Supported in part by NSF grant DMS 04/05670.     

Quantum Spin Systems at Positive Temperature

We develop a novel approach to phase transitions in quantum spin models based on a relation to their classical counterparts. Explicitly, we show that whenever chessboard estimates can be used to prove a phase transition in the classical model, the corresponding quantum model will have a similar phase transition, provided the inverse temperature β and the magnitude of the quantum spins satisfy . From the quantum system we require that it is reflection positive and that it has a meaningful classical limit; the core technical estimate may be described as an extension of the Berezin-Lieb inequalities down to the level of matrix elements. The general theory is applied to prove phase transitions in various quantum spin systems with . The most notable examples are the quantum orbital-compass model on and the quantum 120-degree model on which are shown to exhibit symmetry breaking at low-temperatures despite the infinite degeneracy of their (classical) ground state.     

Rational Conformal Field Theories and Complex Multiplication

We study the geometric interpretation of two dimensional rational conformal field theories, corresponding to sigma models on Calabi-Yau manifolds. We perform a detailed study of RCFTs corresponding to the T² target and identify the Cardy branes with geometric branes. The T²s leading to RCFTs admit complex multiplication which characterizes Cardy branes as specific D0-branes. We propose a condition for the conformal sigma model to be RCFT for arbitrary Calabi-Yau n-folds, which agrees with the known cases. Together with recent conjectures by mathematicians it appears that rational conformal theories are not dense in the space of all conformal theories, and sometimes appear to be finite in number for Calabi-Yau n-folds for n>2. RCFTs on K3 may be dense. We speculate about the meaning of these special points in the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau n-folds in connection with freezing geometric moduli.     

WZW Orientifolds and Finite Group Cohomology

The simplest orientifolds of the WZW models are obtained by gauging a symmetry group generated by a combined involution of the target Lie group G and of the worldsheet. The action of the involution on the target is by a twisted inversion , where ζ is an element of the center of G. It reverses the sign of the Kalb-Ramond torsion field H given by a bi-invariant closed 3-form on G. The action on the worldsheet reverses its orientation. An unambiguous definition of Feynman amplitudes of the orientifold theory requires a choice of a gerbe with curvature H on the target group G, together with a so-called Jandl structure introduced in [31]. More generally, one may gauge orientifold symmetry groups that combine the -action described above with the target symmetry induced by a subgroup Z of the center of G. To define the orientifold theory in such a situation, one needs a gerbe on G with a Z-equivariant Jandl structure. We reduce the study of the existence of such structures and of their inequivalent choices to a problem in group-Γ cohomology that we solve for all simple simply connected compact Lie groups G and all orientifold groups . Membre du C.N.R.S.