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Andrei Okounkov

Publications and source records attributed to Andrei Okounkov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2018

Quantum Groups and Quantum Cohomology

In this paper, we study the classical and quantum equivariant cohomology of Nakajima quiver varieties for a general quiver Q. Using a geometric R-matrix formalism, we construct a Hopf algebra Y_Q, the Yangian of Q, acting on the cohomology of these varieties, and show several results about their basic structure theory. We prove a formula for quantum multiplication by divisors in terms of this Yangian action. The quantum connection can be identified with the trigonometric Casimir connection for Y_Q; equivalently, the divisor operators correspond to certain elements of Baxter subalgebras of Y_Q. A key role is played by geometric shift operators which can be identified with the quantum KZ difference connection. In the second part, we give an extended example of the general theory for moduli spaces of sheaves on C^2, framed at infinity. Here, the Yangian action is analyzed explicitly in terms of a free field realization; the corresponding R-matrix is closely related to the reflection operator in Liouville field theory. We show that divisor operators generate the quantum ring, which is identified with the full Baxter subalgebras. As a corollary of our construction, we obtain an action of the W-algebra W(gl(r)) on the equivariant cohomology of rank $r$ moduli spaces, which implies certain conjectures of Alday, Gaiotto, and Tachikawa.

math.AG↗
arXiv2018

On the crossroads of enumerative geometry and geometric representation theory

The subjects in the title are interwoven in many different and very deep ways. I recently wrote several expository accounts [64-66] that reflect a certain range of developments, but even in their totality they cannot be taken as a comprehensive survey. In the format of a 30-page contribution aimed at a general mathematical audience, I have decided to illustrate some of the basic ideas in one very interesting example - that of HilbpC2, nq, hoping to spark the curiosity of colleagues in those numerous fields of study where one should expect applications.

math.RT↗
arXiv2017

Exts and Vertex Operators

The direct product of two Hilbert schemes of the same surface has natural K-theory classes given by the alternating Ext groups between the two ideal sheaves in question, twisted by a line bundle. We express the Chern classes of these virtual bundles in terms of Nakajima operators.

math.AG↗
arXiv2017

Quasimap counts and Bethe eigenfunctions

We associate an explicit equivalent descendent insertion to any relative insertion in quantum K-theory of Nakajima varieties. This also serves as an explicit formula for off-shell Bethe eigenfunctions for general quantum loop algebras associated to quivers and gives the general integral solution to the corresponding quantum Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov and dynamical q-difference equations.

math-ph↗
arXiv2017

Lectures on K-theoretic computations in enumerative geometry

These are notes from my lectures on quantum K-theory of Nakajima quiver varieties and K-theoretic Donaldson-Thomas theory of threefolds given at Columbia and Park City Mathematics Institute. They contain an introduction to the subject and a number of new results. In particular, we prove the main conjecture of arXiv:hep-th/0412021 and the conjecture of arXiv:1404.2323 in the simplest case of reduced smooth curves. We also prove the the absence of quantum corrections to the capped vertex with descendents for sufficiently large framing (and polarization), which is a property we call large framing vanishing. The shift operators for minuscule shift are shown to be given by qKZ operators, which is a K-theoretic analog of the result of arXiv:1211.1287.

math.AG↗
arXiv2017

Enumerative geometry and geometric representation theory

This is an introduction to: (1) the enumerative geometry of rational curves in equivariant symplectic resolutions, and (2) its relation to the structures of geometric representation theory. Written for the 2015 Algebraic Geometry Summer Institute.

math.AG↗
arXiv2014

Membranes and Sheaves

Our goal in this paper is to discuss a conjectural correspondence between enumerative geometry of curves in Calabi-Yau 5-folds $Z$ and 1-dimensional sheaves on 3-folds $X$ that are embedded in $Z$ as fixed points of certain $\mathbb{C}^\times$-actions. In both cases, the enumerative information is taken in equivariant $K$-theory, where the equivariance is with respect to all automorphisms of the problem. In Donaldson-Thomas theories, one sums up over all Euler characteristics with a weight $(-q)^χ$, where $q$ is a parameter, informally referred to as the boxcounting parameter. The main feature of the correspondence is that the 3-dimensional boxcounting parameter $q$ becomes in $5$ dimensions the equivariant parameter for the $\mathbb{C}^\times$-action that defines $X$ inside $Z$. The 5-dimensional theory effectively sums up the $q$-expansion in the Donaldson-Thomas theory. In particular, it gives a natural explanation of the rationality (in $q$) of the DT partition functions. Other expected as well as unexpected symmetries of the DT counts follow naturally from the 5-dimensional perspective. These involve choosing different $\mathbb{C}^\times$-actions on the same $Z$, and thus relating the same 5-dimensional theory to different DT problems. The important special case $Z=X \times \mathbb{C}^2$ is considered in detail in Sections 7 and 8. If $X$ is a toric Calabi-Yau threefold, we compute the theory in terms of a certain index vertex. We show the refined vertex found combinatorially by Iqbal, Kozcaz, and Vafa is a special case of the index vertex.

math.AG↗
arXiv2013

Five dimensional gauge theories and vertex operators

We study supersymmetric gauge theories in five dimensions, using their relation to the K-theory of the moduli spaces of torsion free sheaves. In the spirit of the BPS/CFT correspondence the partition function and the expectation values of the chiral, BPS protected observables are given by the matrix elements and more generally by the correlation functions in some q-deformed conformal field theory in two dimensions. We show that the coupling of the gauge theory to the bi-fundamental matter hypermultiplet inserts a particular vertex operator in this theory. In this way we get a generalization of the main result of \cite{CO} to $K$-theory. The theory of interpolating Macdonald polynomials is an important tool in our construction.

math.RT↗
arXiv2010

Quantum cohomology of the Springer resolution

Let G denote a complex, semisimple, simply-connected group. We identify the equivariant quantum differential equation for the cotangent bundle to the flag variety of G with the affine Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov connection of Cherednik and Matsuo. This recovers Kim's description of quantum cohomology of the flag variety itself as a limiting case. A parallel result is proven for resolutions of the Slodowy slices. Extension to arbitrary symplectic resolutions is discussed.

math.AG↗
arXiv2009

Noncommutative geometry of random surfaces

We associate a noncommutative curve to a periodic, bipartite, planar dimer model with polygonal boundary. It determines the inverse Kasteleyn matrix and hence all correlations. It may be seen as a quantization of the limit shape construction of Kenyon and the author in arXiv:math-ph/0507007. We also discuss various directions in which this correspondence may be generalized.

math.AG↗
arXiv2007

Limit shapes and the complex burgers equation

In this paper we study surfaces in R^3 that arise as limit shapes in a class of random surface models arising from dimer models. The limit shapes are minimizers of a surface tension functional, that is, they minimize, for fixed boundary conditions, the integral of a quantity (the surface tension) depending only on the slope of the surface. The surface tension as a function of the slope has singularities and is not strictly convex, which leads to formation of facets and edges in the limit shapes. We find a change of variables that reduces the Euler-Lagrange equation for the variational problem to the complex inviscid Burgers equation (complex Hopf equation). The equation can thus be solved in terms of an arbitrary holomorphic function, which is somewhat similar in spirit to Weierstrass parametrization of minimal surfaces. We further show that for a natural dense set of boundary conditions, the holomorphic function in question is, in fact, algebraic. The tools of algebraic geometry can thus be brought in to study the the minimizers and, especially, the formation of their singularities. This is illustrated by several explicitly computed examples.

math-ph↗
arXiv2006

Geometry of planar log-fronts

The log-front of two plane curves P(z,w)=0 and Q(z,w)=0 is the locus of (a,b) such that Q(az,bw)=0 is tangent to P(z,w)=0. Log-fronts generalize dual curves, wave fronts, and arise naturally in the theory of random surfaces. Our goal in this paper is to prove analogs of Plucker and Klein formulas for log-fronts.

math.AG↗
arXiv2006

Limits of BC-type orthogonal polynomials as the number of variables goes to infinity

We describe the asymptotic behavior of the multivariate BC-type Jacobi polynomials as the number of variables and the Young diagram indexing the polynomial go to infinity. In particular, our results describe the approximation of the spherical functions of the infinite-dimensional symmetric spaces of type B,C,D or BC by the spherical functions of the corresponding finite-dimensional symmetric spaces. Similar results for the Jack polynomials were established in our earlier paper (Intern. Math. Res. Notices 1998, no. 13, 641-s682; arXiv:q-alg/9709011). The main results of the present paper were obtained in 1997.

math.RT↗
arXiv2006

Random partitions and instanton counting

In this expository paper we summarize the connection between random partitions and 4-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories discovered in hep-th/0306238. There is also a brief section about how this extends to 3-dimensional partitions which is best read together with math-ph/0412008.

math-ph↗
arXiv2005

Pillowcases and quasimodular forms

We prove that natural generating functions for enumeration of branched coverings of the pillowcase orbifold are level 2 quasimodular forms. This gives a way to compute the volumes of the strata of the moduli space of quadratic differentials.

math.DS↗
arXiv2005

Random skew plane partitions and the Pearcey process

We study random skew 3D partitions weighted by $q^{\textup{vol}}$ and, specifically, the $q\to 1$ asymptotics of local correlations near various points of the limit shape. We obtain sine-kernel asymptotics for correlations in the bulk of the disordered region, Airy kernel asymptotics near a general point of the frozen boundary, and a Pearcey kernel asymptotics near a cusp of the frozen boundary.

math.CO↗