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Douglas J. Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Douglas J. Smith.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Symplectic Chern-Simons theories dual to Abelian rank-$0$ theories

We propose that the 3d symplectic Chern-Simons theory $USp(2n)$ at level $k=n+\frac12+\ell$ with a single chiral multiplet in the fundamental representation is dual, for every pair of positive integers $(n,\ell)$, to the Abelian rank-$0$ theory $\mathcal{T}_{\ell,n}$ of Creutzig, Garner and Kim. The fundamental is pseudo-real, so the level is half-integral, there is no non-Abelian flavor symmetry, and the supersymmetry is enhanced to $\mathcal{N}=4$. Both sides have vanishing Higgs and Coulomb branches. We match the counting of supersymmetric vacua under real mass deformations for all $(n,\ell)$, and the supersymmetric indices in a number of cases. We then study in detail the case $\ell=1$, the minimal $USp(2n)$ Chern-Simons theory at level $n+\frac32$, whose dual is a $U(1)^{n}$ theory with a tadpole level matrix and a bare monopole superpotential.

hep-th

Boundary lines and Askey-Wilson type moments

The Wilson line defect half-indices for 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories with boundary confining phases admit a formulation in terms of the Askey-Wilson type moments. In the dual Landau-Ginzburg description the dual line operators can be realized as vortex line defects which induce singular behavior of chiral multiplets associated with the minimal monopole operators, together with additional one-dimensional degrees of freedom. By incorporating such a singular structure as an effective spin shift into the index computation, we obtain exact closed-form expressions for the line defect half-indices which are Askey-Wilson type moments.

hep-th

$SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ dualities of boundary conditions in Abelian M2-brane SCFTs

We propose $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ dualities of supersymmetric boundary conditions in the three-dimensional supersymmetric field theories describing a semi-infinite M2-brane terminating on M5-branes. Specifically, we present dualities of boundary conditions for Abelian (quiver) ADHM theories and circular quiver Chern-Simons matter theories including the ABJM model. For the circular quiver Chern-Simons theories we take boundary conditions breaking a $U(1)_1 \times U(1)_{-1}$ gauge group to its diagonal subgroup which is decoupled. This can be generalized to break $U(1)_k \times U(1)_{-k}$, leaving a $\mathbb{Z}_k$ gauge theory. We find matching of the 't Hooft anomalies and supersymmetric half-indices for all the proposed dual boundary conditions.

hep-th

Chern-Simons theories with defects, Rogers-Ramanujan type functions and eta-products

We study the line defect half-indices of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric Chern-Simons (CS) theories with (special)unitary, symplectic, orthogonal and exceptional gauge groups. We find that they have several beautiful infinite product $q$-series expressions in terms of Ramanujan's general theta function. For the theories with fundamental chiral multiplets, the pairs of the Neumann half-indices and one-point functions of the fundamental Wilson lines form a basis for the line defect indices in terms of the Rogers-Ramanujan type functions. Furthermore, the theories with an adjoint chiral admit the expressions as the eta-products. In particular, for the $SU(N)_{-2N}$ CS theory, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the BPS boundary local operators and the $N$-core partitions.

hep-th

5d-4d Correspondence in Twisted M-theory on a Conifold

We study twisted M-theory in a general conifold background, and describe it in terms of a 5d non-commutative Chern-Simons-matter theory, which is equivalent to 5d non-commutative Chern-Simons theory for a supergroup. In an equivalent description as twisted type IIA string theory, the matter degrees of freedom arise from topological strings stretched between stacks of D6-branes. In order to study 5d Chern-Simons-matter theories with a boundary, we first construct and investigate the properties of a 4d non-commutative gauged chiral WZW model. We prove the gauge invariant coupling of this 4d theory to the bulk 5d Chern-Simons theory defined on $\mathbb{R}_+ \times \mathbb{C}^2 $, and further generalize our results to the 5d Chern-Simons-matter theory. We also investigate the toroidal current algebra of the 4d chiral WZW model that arises from radial quantization along one of the complex planes. Finally, we show that a gauged non-commutative chiral 4d WZW model arises from the partition function for quantum 5d non-commutative Chern-Simons theory with boundaries in the BV-BFV formalism, and further generalize this 5d-4d correspondence to the 5d non-commutative Chern-Simons-matter theory for the case of adjoint matter.

hep-th

Line defect half-indices of $SU(N)$ Chern-Simons theories

We study the Wilson line defect half-indices of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric $SU(N)$ Chern-Simons theories of level $k\le -N$ with Neumann boundary conditions for the gauge fields, together with 2d Fermi multiplets and fundamental 3d chiral multiplets to cancel the gauge anomaly. We derive some exact results and also make some conjectures based on expansions of the $q$-series. We find several interesting connections with special functions known in the literature, including Rogers-Ramanujan functions for which we conjecture integral representations, and the appearance of Appell-Lerch sums for certain Wilson line half-index grand canonical ensembles which reveal an unexpected appearance of mock modular functions. We also find intriguing $q$-difference equations relating half-indices to Wilson line half-indices. Some of these results also have a description in terms of a dual theory with Dirichlet boundary conditions for the vector multiplet in the dual theory.

hep-th

3d exceptional gauge theories and boundary confinement

We find boundary confining dualities of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories with exceptional gauge groups. The half-indices which enumerate the boundary BPS local operators in the presence of Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions for gauge fields are identified with the Askey-Wilson type $q$-beta integrals and Macdonald type sums respectively. New conjectural identities of $E_6$ and $E_7$ integrals and sums are derived from the boundary confining dualities. We also consider theories with a vector multiplet and adjoint chiral, which correspond to an $\mathcal{N}=4$ vector multiplet, with appropriate boundary conditions. We argue for the boundary confinement of the $\mathcal{N}=4$ vector multiplet and comment on such theories also with classical gauge groups.

hep-th

Boundary confining dualities and Askey-Wilson type $q$-beta integrals

We propose confining dualities of $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ half-BPS boundary conditions in 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric $SU(N)$, $USp(2n)$ and $SO(N)$ gauge theories. Some of these dualities have the novel feature that one (anti)fundamental chiral has Dirichlet boundary condition while the rest have Neumann boundary conditions. While some of the dualities can be extended to 3d bulk dualities, others should be understood intrinsically as 2d dualities as they seem to hold only at the boundary. The gauge theory Neumann half-indices are well-defined even for theories which contain monopole operators with non-positive scaling dimensions and they are given by Askey-Wilson type $q$-beta integrals. As a consequence of the confining dualities, new conjectural identities of such integrals are found.

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Web of Seiberg-like dualities for 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ quivers

We propose a universal manipulation to obtain Seiberg-like dualities of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ general quiver gauge theories with unitary, symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups coupled to fundamental and bifundamental matter fields. We illustrate this with several examples of linear, circular and star-shaped quiver gauge theories. We examine the local operators in the theories by computing supersymmetric indices and also find precise matching for the proposed dualities as strong evidence. We also generalize the dualities in the presence of a boundary on which the theories obey $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ chiral half-BPS boundary conditions.

hep-th

Notes on the Dynamics of Noncommutative U(2) and Commutative SU(3) Instantons

We examine the dynamics of noncommutative instantons of instanton number $2$ and commutative instantons of instanton number $3$ in 5d Super Yang Mills theory. We begin by detailing the construction of the 1/4-BPS instanton solutions, their moduli space, and the moduli space potential using an explicit parametrisation of the moduli space coordinates in terms of the biquaternions. We then go on to numerically analyse the dynamics on the moduli spaces we have constructed, discussing some of the numerical issues which arose and describing the code we developed to solve them

hep-th

Singular BPS boundary conditions in $\mathcal{N} = (2,2)$ supersymmetric gauge theories

We derive general BPS boundary conditions in two-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetric gauge theories. We analyze the solutions of these boundary conditions, and in particular those that allow the bulk fields to have poles at the boundary. We also present the brane configurations for the half- and quarter-BPS boundary conditions of the $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetric gauge theories in terms of branes in Type IIA string theory. We find that both A-type and B-type brane configurations are lifted to M-theory as a system of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane wrapped on a product of a holomorphic curve in $\mathbb{C}^2$ with a special Lagrangian 3-cycle in $\mathbb{C}^3$.

hep-th

Matrix supergroup Chern-Simons models for vortex-antivortex systems

We study a $U(N|M)$ supermatrix Chern-Simons model with an $SU(p|q)$ internal symmetry. We propose that the model describes a system consisting of $N$ vortices and $M$ antivortices involving $SU(p|q)$ internal spin degrees of freedom. We present both classical and quantum ground state solutions, and demonstrate the relation to Calogero models. We present evidence that a large $N$ limit describes $SU(p|q)$ WZW models. In particular, we derive $\widehat{\mathfrak{su}}(p|q)$ Kac-Moody algebras. We also present some results on the calculation of the partition function involving a supersymmetric generalization of the Hall-Littlewood polynomials, indicating the mock modular properties.

hep-th

Mock Modular Index of M2-M5 Brane System

We present BPS indices of the supergroup WZW models that live on intersecting M2-M5 brane systems. They can encode data of the stretched M2-branes between M5-branes and count the BPS states. They are generally expressed in terms of mock theta functions via the Kac-Wakimoto character formula of the affine Lie superalgebra. We give an explicit expression of the index for the $PSL(2|2)_{k=1}$ WZW model in terms of the second order multi-variable Appell-Lerch sum. It indicates that wall-crossing occurs in the BPS state counting due to the $C$-field on the M5-branes.

hep-th

Topological M-Strings and Supergroup WZW Models

We study the boundary conditions in the topologically twisted Chern-Simons matter theories with the Lie 3-algebraic structure. We find that the supersymmetric boundary conditions and the gauge invariant boundary conditions can be unified as the complexified gauge invariant boundary conditions which lead to the supergroup WZW models. We propose that the low-energy effective field theories on the two-dimensional intersection of multiple M2-branes on a holomorphic curve inside K3 with two non-parallel M5-branes on the K3 are supergroup WZW models from the topologically twisted BLG-model and the ABJM-model.

hep-th

Moduli Space Dynamics of Noncommutative U(2) Instantons

We consider the low energy dynamics of charge two instantons on noncommutative $\mathbb{R}^{2}_{NC}\times\mathbb{R}^{2}_{NC}$ in U(2) 5-dimensional super-Yang-Mills, using the Manton approximation for slow-moving instantons to calculate the moduli space metric. By employing the ADHM construction, we are able to understand some aspects of the geometry and topology of the system. We also consider the effect of adding a potential to the moduli space, giving scattering results for noncommutative dyonic instantons.

hep-th

Non-anticommutativity in Presence of a Boundary

In this paper we consider non-anticommutative field theories in $\mathcal{N} =2$ superspace formalism on three-dimensional manifolds with a boundary. We modify the original Lagrangian in such a way that it preserves half the supersymmetry even in the presence of a boundary. We also analyse the partial breaking of supersymmetry caused by non-anticommutativity between fermionic coordinates. Unlike in four dimensions, in three dimensions a theory with $\mathcal{N} =1/2$ supersymmetry cannot be obtained by a non-anticommutative deformation of an $\mathcal{N} =1$ theory. However, in this paper we construct a three dimensional theory with $\mathcal{N} =1/2$ supersymmetry by studying a combination of non-anticommutativity and boundary effects, starting from $\mathcal{N} =2$ supersymmetry.

hep-th

The low energy dynamics of charge two dyonic instantons

We explore the low energy dynamics of charge two instantons and dyonic instantons in SU(2) 5-dimensional Yang-Mills. We make use of the moduli space approximation and first calculate the moduli space metric for two instantons. For dyonic instantons the effective action of the moduli space approximation also includes a potential term which we calculate. Using the ADHM construction we are able to understand some aspects of the topology and structure of the moduli space. We find that instantons undergo right angled scattering after a head on collision and we are able to give an analytic description of this in terms of a quotient of the moduli space by symmetries of the ADHM data. We also explore the scattering of instantons and dyonic instantons numerically in a constrained region of the moduli space. Finally we exhibit some examples of closed geodesics on the moduli space, and geodesics which hit the moduli space singularities in finite time.

hep-th