arXiv subjects

Richard J. Szabo

Publications and source records attributed to Richard J. Szabo.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Reduced Chern-Simons Quiver Theories and Cohomological 3-Algebra Models

We study the BPS spectrum and vacuum moduli spaces in dimensional reductions of Chern-Simons-matter theories with N>=2 supersymmetry to zero dimensions. Our main example is a matrix model version of the ABJM theory which we relate explicitly to certain reduced 3-algebra models. We find the explicit maps from Chern-Simons quiver matrix models to dual IKKT matrix models. We address the problem of topologically twisting the ABJM matrix model, and along the way construct a new twist of the IKKT model. We construct a cohomological matrix model whose partition function localizes onto a moduli space specified by 3-algebra relations which live in the double of the conifold quiver. It computes an equivariant index enumerating framed BPS states with specified R-charges which can be expressed as a combinatorial sum over certain filtered pyramid partitions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2013

Algebraic deformations of toric varieties I. General constructions

We construct and study noncommutative deformations of toric varieties by combining techniques from toric geometry, isospectral deformations, and noncommutative geometry in braided monoidal categories. Our approach utilizes the same fan structure of the variety but deforms the underlying embedded algebraic torus. We develop a sheaf theory using techniques from noncommutative algebraic geometry. The cases of projective varieties are studied in detail, and several explicit examples are worked out, including new noncommutative deformations of Grassmann and flag varieties. Our constructions set up the basic ingredients for thorough study of instantons on noncommutative toric varieties, which will be the subject of the sequel to this paper.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

Refined Chern-Simons theory and (q,t)-deformed Yang-Mills theory: Semi-classical expansion and planar limit

We study the relationship between refined Chern-Simons theory on lens spaces S^3/Z_p and (q,t)-deformed Yang-Mills theory on the sphere S^2. We derive the instanton partition function of (q,t)-deformed U(N) Yang-Mills theory and describe it explicitly as an analytical continuation of the semi-classical expansion of refined Chern-Simons theory. The derivations are based on a generalization of the Weyl character formula to Macdonald polynomials. The expansion is used to formulate q-generalizations of beta-deformed matrix models for refined Chern-Simons theory, as well as conjectural formulas for the chi_y-genus of the moduli space of U(N) instantons on the surface O(-p)--->P^1 for all p which enumerate black hole microstates in refined topological string theory. We study the large N phase structures of the refined gauge theories, and match them with refined topological string theory on the resolved conifold.

hep-th↗

arXiv2013

Curve counting, instantons and McKay correspondences

We survey some features of equivariant instanton partition functions of topological gauge theories on four and six dimensional toric Kahler varieties, and their geometric and algebraic counterparts in the enumerative problem of counting holomorphic curves. We discuss the relations of instanton counting to representations of affine Lie algebras in the four-dimensional case, and to Donaldson-Thomas theory for ideal sheaves on Calabi-Yau threefolds. For resolutions of toric singularities, an algebraic structure induced by a quiver determines the instanton moduli space through the McKay correspondence and its generalizations. The correspondence elucidates the realization of gauge theory partition functions as quasi-modular forms, and reformulates the computation of noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants in terms of the enumeration of generalized instantons. New results include a general presentation of the partition functions on ALE spaces as affine characters, a rigorous treatment of equivariant partition functions on Hirzebruch surfaces, and a putative connection between the special McKay correspondence and instanton counting on Hirzebruch-Jung spaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Instantons and vortices on noncommutative toric varieties

We elaborate on the quantization of toric varieties by combining techniques from toric geometry, isospectral deformations and noncommutative geometry in braided monoidal categories, and the construction of instantons thereon by combining methods from noncommutative algebraic geometry and a quantised twistor theory. We classify the real structures on a toric noncommutative deformation of the Klein quadric and use this to derive a new noncommutative four-sphere which is the unique deformation compatible with the noncommutative twistor correspondence. We extend the computation of equivariant instanton partition functions to noncommutative gauge theories with both adjoint and fundamental matter fields, finding agreement with the classical results in all instances. We construct moduli spaces of noncommutative vortices from the moduli of invariant instantons, and derive corresponding equivariant partition functions which also agree with those of the classical limit.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Groupoids, Loop Spaces and Quantization of 2-Plectic Manifolds

We describe the quantization of 2-plectic manifolds as they arise in the context of the quantum geometry of M-branes and non-geometric flux compactifications of closed string theory. We review the groupoid approach to quantizing Poisson manifolds in detail, and then extend it to the loop spaces of 2-plectic manifolds, which are naturally symplectic manifolds. In particular, we discuss the groupoid quantization of the loop spaces of R^3, T^3 and S^3, and derive some interesting implications which match physical expectations from string theory and M-theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Quantization of Higher Abelian Gauge Theory in Generalized Differential Cohomology

We review and elaborate on some aspects of the quantization of certain classes of higher abelian gauge theories using techniques of generalized differential cohomology. Particular emphasis is placed on the examples of generalized Maxwell theory and Cheeger-Simons cohomology, and of Ramond-Ramond fields in Type II superstring theory and differential K-theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Algebraic deformations of toric varieties II. Noncommutative instantons

We continue our study of the noncommutative algebraic and differential geometry of a particular class of deformations of toric varieties, focusing on aspects pertinent to the construction and enumeration of noncommutative instantons on these varieties. We develop a noncommutative version of twistor theory, which introduces a new example of a noncommutative four-sphere. We develop a braided version of the ADHM construction and show that it parametrizes a certain moduli space of framed torsion free sheaves on a noncommutative projective plane. We use these constructions to explicitly build instanton gauge bundles with canonical connections on the noncommutative four-sphere that satisfy appropriate anti-selfduality equations. We construct projective moduli spaces for the torsion free sheaves and demonstrate that they are smooth. We define equivariant partition functions of these moduli spaces, finding that they coincide with the usual instanton partition functions for supersymmetric gauge theories on C^2.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Matrix models and stochastic growth in Donaldson-Thomas theory

We show that the partition functions which enumerate Donaldson-Thomas invariants of local toric Calabi-Yau threefolds without compact divisors can be expressed in terms of specializations of the Schur measure. We also discuss the relevance of the Hall-Littlewood and Jack measures in the context of BPS state counting and study the partition functions at arbitrary points of the Kaehler moduli space. This rewriting in terms of symmetric functions leads to a unitary one-matrix model representation for Donaldson-Thomas theory. We describe explicitly how this result is related to the unitary matrix model description of Chern-Simons gauge theory. This representation is used to show that the generating functions for Donaldson-Thomas invariants are related to tau-functions of the integrable Toda and Toeplitz lattice hierarchies. The matrix model also leads to an interpretation of Donaldson-Thomas theory in terms of non-intersecting paths in the lock-step model of vicious walkers. We further show that these generating functions can be interpreted as normalization constants of a corner growth/last-passage stochastic model.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Instanton counting and wall-crossing for orbifold quivers

Noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants for abelian orbifold singularities can be studied via the enumeration of instanton solutions in a six-dimensional noncommutative N=2 gauge theory; this construction is based on the generalized McKay correspondence and identifies the instanton counting with the counting of framed representations of a quiver which is naturally associated to the geometry of the singularity. We extend these constructions to compute BPS partition functions for higher-rank refined and motivic noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants in the Coulomb branch in terms of gauge theory variables and orbifold data. We introduce the notion of virtual instanton quiver associated with the natural symplectic charge lattice which governs the quantum wall-crossing behaviour of BPS states in this context. The McKay correspondence naturally connects our formalism with other approaches to wall-crossing based on quantum monodromy operators and cluster algebras.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Membrane Sigma-Models and Quantization of Non-Geometric Flux Backgrounds

We develop quantization techniques for describing the nonassociative geometry probed by closed strings in flat non-geometric R-flux backgrounds M. Starting from a suitable Courant sigma-model on an open membrane with target space M, regarded as a topological sector of closed string dynamics in R-space, we derive a twisted Poisson sigma-model on the boundary of the membrane whose target space is the cotangent bundle T^*M and whose quasi-Poisson structure coincides with those previously proposed. We argue that from the membrane perspective the path integral over multivalued closed string fields in Q-space is equivalent to integrating over open strings in R-space. The corresponding boundary correlation functions reproduce Kontsevich's deformation quantization formula for the twisted Poisson manifolds. For constant R-flux, we derive closed formulas for the corresponding nonassociative star product and its associator, and compare them with previous proposals for a 3-product of fields on R-space. We develop various versions of the Seiberg-Witten map which relate our nonassociative star products to associative ones and add fluctuations to the R-flux background. We show that the Kontsevich formula coincides with the star product obtained by quantizing the dual of a Lie 2-algebra via convolution in an integrating Lie 2-group associated to the T-dual doubled geometry, and hence clarify the relation to the twisted convolution products for topological nonassociative torus bundles. We further demonstrate how our approach leads to a consistent quantization of Nambu-Poisson 3-brackets.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Groupoid Quantization of Loop Spaces

We review the various contexts in which quantized 2-plectic manifolds are expected to appear within closed string theory and M-theory. We then discuss how the quantization of a 2-plectic manifold can be reduced to ordinary quantization of its loop space, which is a symplectic manifold. We demonstrate how the latter can be quantized using groupoids. After reviewing the necessary background, we present the groupoid quantization of the loop space of R^3 in some detail.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Double quiver gauge theory and nearly Kahler flux compactifications

We consider G-equivariant dimensional reduction of Yang-Mills theory with torsion on manifolds of the form MxG/H where M is a smooth manifold, and G/H is a compact six-dimensional homogeneous space provided with a never integrable almost complex structure and a family of SU(3)-structures which includes a nearly Kahler structure. We establish an equivalence between G-equivariant pseudo-holomorphic vector bundles on MxG/H and new quiver bundles on M associated to the double of a quiver Q, determined by the SU(3)-structure, with relations ensuring the absence of oriented cycles in Q. When M=R^2, we describe an equivalence between G-invariant solutions of Spin(7)-instanton equations on MxG/H and solutions of new quiver vortex equations on M. It is shown that generic invariant Spin(7)-instanton configurations correspond to quivers Q that contain non-trivial oriented cycles.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory, Painleve equations and the six-vertex model

We show that the chiral partition function of two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory on the sphere can be mapped to the partition function of the homogeneous six-vertex model with domain wall boundary conditions in the ferroelectric phase. A discrete matrix model description in both cases is given by the Meixner ensemble, leading to a representation in terms of a stochastic growth model. We show that the partition function is a particular case of the z-measure on the set of Young diagrams, yielding a unitary matrix model for chiral Yang-Mills theory on the sphere and the identification of the partition function as a tau-function of the Painleve V equation. We describe the role played by generalized non-chiral Yang-Mills theory on the sphere in relating the Meixner matrix model to the Toda chain hierarchy encompassing the integrability of the six-vertex model. We also argue that the thermodynamic behaviour of the six-vertex model in the disordered and antiferroelectric phases are captured by particular q-deformations of two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory on the sphere.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Propagators and Matrix Basis on Noncommutative Minkowski Space

We describe an analytic continuation of the Euclidean Grosse-Wulkenhaar and LSZ models which defines a one-parameter family of duality covariant noncommutative field theories interpolating between Euclidean and Minkowski space versions of these models, and provides an alternative regularization to the usual Feynman prescription. This regularization allows for a matrix model representation of the field theories in terms of a complex generalization of the usual basis of Landau wavefunctions. The corresponding propagators are calculated and identified with the Feynman propagators of the field theories. The regulated quantum field theories are shown to be UV/IR-duality covariant. We study the asymptotics of the regularized propagators in position and matrix space representations, and confirm that they generically possess a comparably good decay behaviour as in the Euclidean case.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Dimensional Reduction and Vacuum Structure of Quiver Gauge Theory

We describe the structure of the vacuum states of quiver gauge theories obtained via dimensional reduction over homogeneous spaces, in the explicit example of SU(3)-equivariant dimensional reduction of Yang-Mills-Dirac theory on manifolds of the form M x CP(2). We pay particular attention to the role of topology of background gauge fields on the internal coset spaces, in this case U(1) magnetic monopoles and SU(2) instantons on CP(2). The reduction of Yang-Mills theory induces a quiver gauge theory involving coupled Yang-Mills-Higgs systems on M with a Higgs potential leading to dynamical symmetry breaking. The criterion for a ground state of the Higgs potential can be written as the vanishing of a non-abelian Yang-Mills flux on the quiver diagram, regarded as a lattice with group elements attached to the links. The reduction of SU(3)-symmetric fermions yields Dirac fermions on M transforming under the low-energy gauge group with Yukawa couplings. The fermionic zero modes on CP(2) yield exactly massless chiral fermions on M, though there is a unique choice of spin(c) structure on CP(2) for which some of the zero modes can acquire masses through Yukawa interactions. We work out the spontaneous symmetry breaking patterns and determine the complete physical particle spectrum in a number of explicit examples, some of which possess quantum number assignments qualitatively analogous to the manner in which vector bosons, quarks and leptons acquire masses in the standard model.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Dimensional reduction over the quantum sphere and non-abelian q-vortices

We extend equivariant dimensional reduction techniques to the case of quantum spaces which are the product of a Kaehler manifold M with the quantum two-sphere. We work out the reduction of bundles which are equivariant under the natural action of the quantum group SU_q(2), and also of invariant gauge connections on these bundles. The reduction of Yang-Mills gauge theory on the product space leads to a q-deformation of the usual quiver gauge theories on M. We formulate generalized instanton equations on the quantum space and show that they correspond to q-deformations of the usual holomorphic quiver chain vortex equations on M. We study some topological stability conditions for the existence of solutions to these equations, and demonstrate that the corresponding vacuum moduli spaces are generally better behaved than their undeformed counterparts, but much more constrained by the q-deformation. We work out several explicit examples, including new examples of non-abelian vortices on Riemann surfaces, and q-deformations of instantons whose moduli spaces admit the standard hyper-Kaehler quotient construction.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Instantons, Quivers and Noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas Theory

We construct noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants associated with abelian orbifold singularities by analysing the instanton contributions to a six-dimensional topological gauge theory. The noncommutative deformation of this gauge theory localizes on noncommutative instantons which can be classified in terms of three-dimensional Young diagrams with a colouring of boxes according to the orbifold group. We construct a moduli space for these gauge field configurations which allows us to compute its virtual numbers via the counting of representations of a quiver with relations. The quiver encodes the instanton dynamics of the noncommutative gauge theory, and is associated to the geometry of the singularity via the generalized McKay correspondence. The index of BPS states which compute the noncommutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants is realized via topological quantum mechanics based on the quiver data. We illustrate these constructions with several explicit examples, involving also higher rank Coulomb branch invariants and geometries with compact divisors, and connect our approach with other ones in the literature.

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