Phenomenological compactifications of M-theory involve 7-manifolds with G_2 holonomy and various singularities. Here we study local geometries with such singularities, by thinking of them as compactifications of 7d supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on a three-manifold Q_3. We give a general discussion of compactifications of 7d Yang-Mills theory in terms of Higgs bundles on Q_3. We show they can be constructed using spectral covers, which are Lagrangian branes with a flat connection in the cotangent bundle T^*Q_3. We explain the dictionary with ALE fibrations over Q_3 and conjecture that these configurations have G_2 holonomy. We further develop tools to study the low energy effective theory of such a model. We show that the naive massless spectrum is corrected by instanton effects. Taking the instanton effects into account, we find that the massless spectrum and many of the interactions can be computed with Morse theoretic methods.
In this paper, we study irregular singular solution to Hitchin's equation and use it to describe four dimensional $N=2$ asymptotically free gauge theories. For $SU(2)$ $A$ type quiver, two kinds of irregular singularities besides one regular singularity are needed for the solution of Hitchin's equation; We then classify irregular singularities needed for the general $SU(N)$ $A$ type quiver.
The KZB equations for conformal blocks of the WZNW theory are written on the moduli space of holomorphic principal bundles on the surface. They become the multi-time Schroedinger equation for the nonstationary Hitchin system. From the known form of the equations we learn about the covariance of quantization with respect to changes of the coordinate frame.
In this work half-flat metrics are obtained from Hitchin's equations. The SU$(\infty)$ Hitchin's equations are obtained and as a consequence of them, the Husain-Park equation is found. Considering that the gauge group is SU$(2)$, some solutions associated to Liouville, sinh-Gordon and Painlevé III equations are taken and, through Moyal deformations, solutions of the SU$(\infty)$ Hitchin's equations are obtained. From these solutions, hamiltonian vector fields are determined, which in turn are used to construct the half-flat metrics. Following an approach of Dunajski, Mason and Woodhouse, it is…
The space of solutions to the Hitchin equations on the dual torus with punctures determines the Higgs branch of certain impurity theories. An alternative description of this Higgs branch is provided, in terms of the proper deformation of Hitchin system with deformation parameter given by a $B$-field. For the dual torus minus the singular points we construct explicit solutions to the B-deformed Hitchin equations by reducing them to principal chiral model equations and then using deformation quantization methods.
A generalized Hitchin equation was proposed as the BPS equation for a large class of four dimensional N=1 theories engineered using M5 branes. In this paper, we show how to write down the spectral curve for the moduli space of generalized Hitchin equations, and extract interesting N=1 dynamics out of it, such as deformed modui space, chiral ring relation, SUSY breaking, etc. Holomorphy plays a crucial role in our construction.
We construct BPS domain wall solutions of the effective action of type-IIA string theory compactified on a half-flat six-manifold. The flow equations for the vector and hypermultiplet scalars are shown to be equivalent to Hitchin's flow equations, implying that our domain walls can be lifted to solutions of ten-dimensional type-IIA supergravity. They take the form R^{1,2} x Y_7, where Y_7 is a G_2-holonomy manifold with boundaries.
Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov-Bernard (KZB) equation on an elliptic curve with a marked point is derived by the classical Hamiltonian reduction and further quantization. We consider classical Hamiltonian systems on cotangent bundle to the loop group $L(GL(N,{\bf C}))$ extended by the shift operators, to be related to the elliptic module. After the reduction we obtain the Hamiltonian system on cotangent bundle to the moduli of holomorphic principle bundles and the elliptic module. It is a particular example of generalized Hitchin systems (GHS), which are defined as hamiltonian systems on cotangent bun…
For (planar) closed self-avoiding loops we construct a "holographic" map from the loop equations of large-N QCD_4 to an effective action defined over infinite rank Hitchin bundles. The effective action is constructed densely embedding Hitchin systems into the functional integral of a partially quenched or twisted Eguchi-Kawai model, by means of the resolution of identity into the gauge orbits of the microcanonical ensemble and by changing variables from the moduli fields of Hitchin systems to the moduli of the corresponding holomorphic de Rham local systems. The key point is that the contour i…
We argue that Hitchin's equation determines not only the low energy effective theory but also describes the UV theory of four dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories when we compactify six dimensional $A_N$ $(0,2)$ theory on a punctured Riemann surface. We study the singular solution to Hitchin's equation and the Higgs field of solutions has a simple pole at the punctures; We show that the massless theory is associated with Higgs field whose residual is a nilpotent element; We identify the flavor symmetry associated with the puncture by studying the singularity of closure of the moduli s…
We construct infinitely many seven-dimensional Einstein metrics of weak holonomy G_2. These metrics are defined on principal SO(3) bundles over four-dimensional Bianchi IX orbifolds with the Tod-Hitchin metrics. The Tod-Hitchin metric has an orbifold singularity parameterized by an integer, and is shown to be similar near the singularity to the Taub-NUT de Sitter metric with a special charge. We show, however, that the seven-dimensional metrics on the total space are actually smooth. The geodesics on the weak G_2 manifolds are discussed. It is shown that the geodesic equation is equivalent to …
This letter describes a completely-integrable system of Yang-Mills-Higgs equations which generalizes the Hitchin equations on a Riemann surface to arbitrary k-dimensional complex manifolds. The system arises as a dimensional reduction of a set of integrable Yang-Mills equations in 4k real dimensions. Our integrable system implies other generalizations such as the Simpson equations and the non-abelian Seiberg-Witten equations. Some simple solutions in the k=2 case are described.
We study the $2k$-Hitchin equations introduced by Ward \cite{Ward 2} from the geometric viewpoint of Higgs bundles. After an introduction on Higgs bundles and $2k$-Hitchin's equations, we review some elementary facts on complex geometry and Yang-Mills theory. Then we study some properties of holomorphic vector bundles and Higgs bundles and we review the Hermite-Yang-Mills equations together with two functionals related to such equations. Using some geometric tools we show that, as far as Higgs bundles is concern, $2k$-Hitchin's equations are reduced to a set of two equations. Finally, we intro…
We show that Z(N) string's BPS equations are equivalent to the Hitchin's equations (or self-duality equation) and also to the zero curvature condition. We construct a general form for BPS Z(N) string solutions for arbitrary simple gauge groups with non-trivial center. Depending on the vacuum solutions considered, the Z(N) string's BPS equations reduce to different two dimensional integrable field equations. For a particular vacuum we obtain the equation of affine Toda field theory.
Self-dual Yang-Mills instantons on $R^4$ correspond to algebraic ADHM data. The ADHM equations for $S^1$-symmetric instantons give a one-dimensional integrable lattice system, which may be viewed as an discretization of the Nahm equations. In this note, we see that generalized ADHM data for $T^2$-symmetric instantons gives an integrable two-dimensional lattice system, which may be viewed as a discrete version of the Hitchin equations.
We investigate quantum effects on the Coulomb branch of three-dimensional N=4 supersymmetric gauge theory with gauge group SU(2). We calculate perturbative and one-instanton contributions to the Wilsonian effective action using standard weak-coupling methods. Unlike the four-dimensional case, and despite supersymmetry, the contribution of non-zero modes to the instanton measure does not cancel. Our results allow us to fix the weak-coupling boundary conditions for the differential equations which determine the hyper-Kahler metric on the quantum moduli space. We confirm the proposal of Seiberg a…
By referring to theorems of Donaldson and Hitchin, we exhibit a rigorous AdS/CFT-type correspondence between classical 2+1 dimensional vacuum general relativity theory on S x R and SO(3) Hitchin theory (regarded as a classical conformal field theory) on the spacelike past boundary S, a compact, oriented Riemann surface of genus greater than one. Within this framework we can interpret the 2+1 dimensional vacuum Einstein equation as a decoupled ``dual'' version of the 2 dimensional SO(3) Hitchin equations. More precisely, we prove that if over S with a fixed conformal class a real solution of th…
To study circularly symmetric field configurations in the SU(2) Hitchin system an SO(2) symmetry, [J_3, ϕ]=0 and [J_3, A_{\pm}]=\pm A_{\pm}, is imposed on the Higgs scalar ϕand the gauge fields A_{\pm} of the system, respectively, where J_3 is a sum of the third components of the orbital angular momenta and the generators of the SU(2). The circular symmetry and the equation \bar{D}ϕ=0 yield onstant, generally nonzero, vacuum expectation values for {\rm Tr}(ϕ^{2}). The equation 4F_{z\bar{z}}=[ϕ, ϕ^{*}] yields a system of differential equations which govern the circularly symmetric field configu…
We consider a general ansatz for solving the 2-dimensional Hitchin's equations, which arise as dimensional reduction of the 4-dimensional self-dual Yang-Mills equations, with remarkable integrability properties. We focus on the case when the gauge group G is given by a real form of SL(2,C). For G=SO(2,1), the resulting field equations are shown to reduce to either the Liouville, elliptic sinh-Gordon or elliptic sine-Gordon equations. As opposed to the compact case, given by G=SU(2), the field equations associated with the noncompact group SO(2,1) are shown to have smooth real solutions with no…
In this paper we develop a Kobayashi-Hitchin type correspondence between solutions of the extended Bogomolny equations on $Σ\times \RP$ with Nahm pole singularity at $Σ\times \{0\}$ and the Hitchin component of the stable $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ Higgs bundle; this verifies a conjecture of Gaiotto and Witten. We also develop a partial Kobayashi-Hitchin correspondence for solutions with a knot singularity in this program, corresponding to the non-Hitchin components in the moduli space of stable $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ Higgs bundles. We also prove existence and uniqueness of solutions with knot singulariti…
A twisted quiver bundle is a set of holomorphic vector bundles over a complex manifold, labelled by the vertices of a quiver, linked by a set of morphisms twisted by a fixed collection of holomorphic vector bundles, labelled by the arrows. When the manifold is Kaelher, quiver bundles admit natural gauge-theoretic equations, which unify many known equations for bundles with extra structure. In this paper we prove a Hitchin--Kobayashi correspondence for twisted quiver bundles over a compact Kaehler manifold, relating the existence of solutions to the gauge equations to a stability criterion, and…
We revisit our earlier work on the AKSZ formulation of topological sigma model on generalized complex manifolds, or Hitchin model. We show that the target space geometry geometry implied by the BV master equations is Poisson--quasi--Nijenhuis geometry recently introduced and studied by Stiénon and Xu (in the untwisted case). Poisson--quasi--Nijenhuis geometry is more general than generalized complex geometry and comprises it as a particular case. Next, we show how gauging and reduction can be implemented in the Hitchin model. We find that the geometry resulting form the BV master equation is c…
The Self-Duality Equations on a Riemann Surface and Four-Dimensional Chern-Simons Theory
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics（Perimeter理论物理研究所）；Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford（牛津大学数学研究所）；Shanghai Institute for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences（上海数学与交叉学科研究院）
The aim of this paper is two-fold. First, we define symplectic maps between Hitchin systems related to holomorphic bundles of different degrees. We call these maps the Symplectic Hecke Correspondence (SHC) of the corresponding Higgs bundles. They are constructed by means of the Hecke correspondence of the underlying holomorphic bundles. SHC allows to construct Bäcklund transformations in the Hitchin systems defined over Riemann curves with marked points. We apply the general scheme to the elliptic Calogero-Moser (CM) system and construct SHC to an integrable $\SLN$ Euler-Arnold top (the ellipt…
The Hamiltonian theory of zero-curvature equations with spectral parameter on an arbitrary compact Riemann surface is constructed. It is shown that the equations can be seen as commuting flows of an infinite-dimensional field generalization of the Hitchin system. The field analog of the elliptic Calogero-Moser system is proposed. An explicit parameterization of Hitchin system based on the Tyurin parameters for stable holomorphic vector bundles on algebraic curves is obtained.
Hitchin has shown that the moduli space ${\mathcal M}$ of the dimensionally reduced self-dual Yang-Mills equations has a hyperKähler structure. In this paper we first explicitly show the hyperKähler structure, the details of which is missing in Hitchin's paper. We show here that ${\mathcal M}$ admits three pre-quantum line bundles, corresponding to the three symplectic forms. We use Quillen's determinant line bundle construction and show that the Quillen curvatures of these prequantum line bundles are proportional to each of the symplectic forms mentioned above. The prequantum line bundles are…
A twisted Higgs bundle on a Kähler manifold $X$ is a pair $(E,ϕ)$ consisting of a holomorphic vector bundle $E$ and a holomorphic bundle morphism $ϕ\colon M\otimes E \to E$ for some holomorphic vector bundle $M$. Such objects were first considered by Hitchin when $X$ is a curve and $M$ is the tangent bundle of $X$, and also by Simpson for higher dimensional base. The Hitchin-Kobayashi correspondence for such pairs states that $(E,ϕ)$ is polystable if and only if $E$ admits a hermitian metric solving the Hitchin equation. This correspondence is a powerful tool to decide whether there exists a s…
Recently Witten introduced a type IIB brane construction with certain boundary conditions to study knot invariants and Khovanov homology. The essential ingredients used in his work are the topologically twisted N = 4 Yang-Mills theory, localization equations and surface operators. In this paper we extend his construction in two possible ways. On one hand we show that a slight modification of Witten's brane construction could lead, using certain well defined duality transformations, to the model used by Ooguri-Vafa to study knot invariants using gravity duals. On the other hand, we argue that b…
We find an agreement of equivariant indices of semi-classical homomorphisms between pairwise mirror branes in the GL(2) Higgs moduli space on a Riemann surface. On one side we have the components of the Lagrangian brane of U(1,1) Higgs bundles whose mirror was proposed by Nigel Hitchin to be certain even exterior powers of the hyperholomorphic Dirac bundle on the SL(2) Higgs moduli space. The agreement arises from a mysterious functional equation. This gives strong computational evidence for Hitchin's proposal.
The self-duality equations on a Riemann surface arise as dimensional reduction of self-dual Yang-Mills equations. Hitchin had showed that the moduli space ${\mathcal M}$ of solutions of the self-duality equations on a compact Riemann surface of genus $g >1$ has a hyperKähler structure. In particular ${\mathcal M}$ is a symplectic manifold. In this paper we elaborate on one of the symplectic structures, the details of which is missing in Hitchin's paper. Next we apply Quillen's determinant line bundle construction to show that ${\mathcal M}$ admits a prequantum line bundle. The Quillen curvatur…
We study supersymmetric domain wall solutions in four dimensions arising from the compactification of type II supergravity on a SU(3)xSU(3) structure manifold. Using a pure spinor approach, we show that the supersymmetry variations can be reinterpreted as a generalisation of the Hitchin flow equations and describe the embedding of a SU(3)xSU(3) structure manifold into a G_2xG_2 structure manifold. We find a precise agreement between the four- and ten-dimensional supergravity results. The flow equations derived here should have applications in constructing the gravity duals of Chern-Simons-matt…
We study ageing during surface growth processes described by the one-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation. Starting from a flat initial state, the systems undergo simple ageing in both correlators and linear responses and its dynamical scaling is characterised by the ageing exponents a=-1/3, b=-2/3, lambda_C=lambda_R=1 and z=3/2. The form of the autoresponse scaling function is well described by the recently constructed logarithmic extension of local scale-invariance.
Arising from a topological twist of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ super Yang-Mills theory are the Kapustin-Witten equations, a family of gauge-theoretic equations on a four-manifold parametrized by $t\in\mathbb{P}^1$. The parameter corresponds to a linear combination of two super charges in the twist. When $t=0$ and the four-manifold is a compact Kähler surface, the equations become the Simpson equations, which was originally studied by Hitchin on a compact Riemann surface, as demonstrated independently in works of Nakajima and the third-named author. At the same time, there is a notion of $λ$-connection …
We study the properties of the Triple Pomeron Vertex in the perturbative QCD using the twist expansion method. Such analysis allows us to find the momenta configurations preferred by the vertex. When the momentum transfer is zero, the dominant contribution in the limit when Nc goes to infty comes from anticollinear pole. This is in agreement with result obtained without expanding, but by direct averaging of the Triple Pomeron Vertex over angles. Resulting theta functions show that the anticollinear configuration is optimal for the vertex. In the finite Nc case the collinear term also contribut…
We construct a noncommutative Kähler manifold based on a non-linear perturbations of Moyal integrable deformations of $D=4$ self-dual gravity. The deformed Kähler manifold preserves all the properties of the commutative one, and we obtain the associated noncommutative Kähler potential using the Moyal deformed gravity approach. We apply this construction to the Atiyah-Hitchin metric and its Kähler potential, which is useful in the description of interactions among magnetic monopoles at low energies.
We propose that the space-time evolution of strongly coupled matter formed by ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions can be modelled by phenomenological equations involving the energy-momentum tensor and conserved currents alone. These equations can describe the late stage of local chemical and thermal equilibration of the matter formed after collisions, and its subsequent transition to hydrodynamic expansion in an unified framework. The full set of equations include local energy, momentum and charge conservation; but also additional equations for evolution of non-equilibrium variables. These…
