arXiv · 1112.4601
Formal pseudodifferential operators and Witten's r-spin numbers
Abstract
We derive an effective recursion for Witten's r-spin intersection numbers, using Witten's conjecture relating r-spin numbers to the Gel'fand-Dikii hierarchy (Theorem 4.1). Consequences include closed-form descriptions of the intersection numbers (for example, in terms of gamma functions: Propositions 5.2 and 5.4, Corollary 5.5). We use these closed-form descriptions to prove Harer-Zagier's formula for the Euler characteristic of M_{g,1}. Finally in Section 6, we extend Witten's series expansion formula for the Landau-Ginzburg potential to study r-spin numbers in the small phase space in genus zero. Our key tool is the calculus of formal pseudodifferential operators, and is partially motivated by work of Brezin and Hikami.
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Kefeng Liu, Ravi Vakil, Hao Xu. 2011-12-20. Formal pseudodifferential operators and Witten's r-spin numbers. https://arxiv.org/abs/1112.4601
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