The recent AGT suggestion to use the set of Nekrasov functions as a basis for a linear decomposition of generic conformal blocks works very well not only in the case of Virasoro symmetry, but also for conformal theories with extended chiral algebra. This is rather natural, because Nekrasov functions are introduced as expansion basis for generalized hypergeometric integrals, very similar to those which arise in expansion of Dotsenko-Fateev integrals in powers of alpha-parameters. Thus, the AGT conjecture is closely related to the old belief that conformal theory can be effectively described in the free field formalism, and it can actually be a key to clear formulating and proof this long-standing hypothesis. As an application of this kind of reasoning we use knowledge of the exact hypergeometric conformal block for complete proof of the AGT relation for a restricted class of external states.
In this work we study the Nekrasov--Shatashvili limit of the Nekrasov instanton partition function of Yang--Mills field theories with ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetry and gauge group SU(N). The theories are coupled with fundamental matter. A path integral expression of the full instanton partition function is derived. It is checked that in the Nekrasov--Shatashvili (thermodynamic) limit the action of the field theory obtained in this way reproduces exactly the equation of motion used in the saddle-point calculations.
The five dimensional AGT correspondence implies the connection between the q-deformed Virasoro block and the 5d Nekrasov partition function. In this paper, we determine a q-deformation of the four-point block in the Coulomb gas representation from the 5d Nekrasov function, and obtain an expression of the q-deformed vertex operator. If we use only one kind of the q-vertex operators, one of the insertion points of them must be modified in order to hold the 2d/5d correspondence.
We study Penner type matrix models in relation with the Nekrasov partition function of four dimensional \mathcal{N}=2, SU(2) supersymmetric gauge theories with N_F=2,3 and 4. By evaluating the resolvent using the loop equation for general β, we explicitly construct the first half-genus correction to the free energy and demonstrate the result coincides with the corresponding Nekrasov partition function with general Ω-background, including higher instanton contributions after modifying the relation of the Coulomb branch parameter with the filling fraction. Our approach complements the proof usin…
Nekrasov partition function for the supersymmetric gauge theories with general Lie groups is not so far known in a closed form while there is a definition in terms of the integral. In this paper, as an intermediate step to derive it, we give a recursion formula among partition functions, which can be derived from the integral. We apply the method to a toy model which reflects the basic structure of partition functions for BCD type Lie groups and obtained a closed expression for the factor associated with the generalized Young diagram.
In the case of SU(2), associated by the AGT relation to the 2d Liouville theory, the Seiberg-Witten prepotential is constructed from the Bohr-Sommerfeld periods of 1d sine-Gordon model. If the same construction is literally applied to monodromies of exact wave functions, the prepotential turns into the one-parametric Nekrasov prepotential F(a,ε_1) with the other epsilon parameter vanishing, ε_2=0, and ε_1 playing the role of the Planck constant in the sine-Gordon Shroedinger equation, \hbar=ε_1. This seems to be in accordance with the recent claim in arXiv:0908.4052 and poses a problem of desc…
It is known that a 4d N = 1 SCFT lives on D3-branes probing a local del Pezzo Calabi-Yau singularity. The Seiberg (or toric) duality of this SCFT arises from the Picard-Lefshetz transformation of the affine E_N 7-brane background that is associated with the Calabi-Yau threefold. In this paper we study the duality of the affine E_N background itself and a 5-brane probing it. We then find that many different Type IIB 5-brane webs describe the same SCFT in 5d. We check this duality by comparing the Nekrasov partition functions of these 5-brane web configurations.
We relate Nekrasov partition functions, with arbitrary values of $ε_1,ε_2$ parameters, to matrix models for $β$-ensembles. We find matrix models encoding the instanton part of Nekrasov partition functions, whose measure, to the leading order in $ε_2$ expansion, is given by the Vandermonde determinant to the power $β=-ε_1/ε_2$. An additional, trigonometric deformation of the measure arises in five-dimensional theories. Matrix model potentials, to the leading order in $ε_2$ expansion, are the same as in the $β=1$ case considered in 0810.4944 [hep-th]. We point out that potentials for massive hyp…
Recently, an intriguing family of the one-point toric conformal blocks AGT related to the $\mathcal{N}=2^*\,\, SU(2)$ Nekrasov functions was discovered by M. Beccaria and G. Macorini. Members of the family are distinguished by having only finite amount of poles as functions of the intermediate dimension/v.e.v. in gauge theory. Another remarkable property is that these conformal blocks/Nekrasov functions can be found in closed form to all orders in the coupling expansion. In the present paper we use Zamolodchikov's recurrence equation to systematically account for these exceptional conformal bl…
In arXiv:0910.5670 we suggested that the Nekrasov function with one non-vanishing deformation parameter εis obtained by the standard Seiberg-Witten contour-integral construction. The only difference is that the Seiberg-Witten differential pdx is substituted by its quantized version for the corresponding integrable system, and contour integrals become exact monodromies of the wave function. This provides an explicit formulation of the earlier guess in arXiv:0908.4052. In this paper we successfully check this suggestion in the first order in ε^2 and the first order in instanton expansion for the…
We investigate the duality between the Nekrasov function and the quantized Seiberg-Witten prepotential, first guessed in [1] and further elaborated in [2] and [3]. We concentrate on providing more thorough checks than the ones presented in [3] and do not discuss the motivation and historical context of this duality. The check of the conjecture up to $o (\hbar^6, \ln (Λ))$ is done by hands for arbitrary $N$ (explicit formulas are presented). Moreover, details of the calculation that are essential for the computerization of the check are worked out. This allows us to test the conjecture up to $\…
We study $SU(2)$ gauge theories coupled to $(A_1,D_N)$ theories with or without a fundamental hypermultiplet. For even $N$, a formula for the contribution of $(A_1,D_N)$ to the Nekrasov partition function was recently obtained by us with Y.~Sugawara and T.~Uetoko. In this paper, we generalize it to the case of odd $N$ in the classical limit, under the condition that the relevant couplings and vacuum expectation values of Coulomb branch operators of $(A_1,D_N)$ are all turned off. We apply our formula to the $(A_2,A_5)$ theory to find that its prepotential is related to that of the $SU(2)$ gaug…
We prove functional equations of Nekrasov partition functions for $A_{1}$-singularity, suggested by Ito-Maruyoshi-Okuda. Our proof uses the method by Nakajima-Yoshioka based on the theory of wall-crossing formula developed by Mochizuki.
Conformal blocks and their AGT relations to LMNS integrals and Nekrasov functions are best described by "conformal" (or Dotsenko-Fateev) matrix models, but in non-Gaussian Dijkgraaf-Vafa phases, where different eigenvalues are integrated along different contours. In such matrix models, the determinant representations and integrability are restored only after a peculiar Fourier transform in the numbers of integrations. From the point of view of conformal blocks, this is Fourier transform w.r.t. the intermediate dimensions and this explains why such quantities are expressed through tau-functions…
We calculate gauge instanton corrections to a class of higher derivative string effective couplings introduced in [1]. We work in Type I string theory compactified on K3xT2 and realise gauge instantons in terms of D5-branes wrapping the internal space. In the field theory limit we reproduce the deformed ADHM action on a general Ω-background from which one can compute the non-perturbative gauge theory partition function using localisation. This is a non-perturbative extension of [1] and provides further evidence for our proposal of a string theory realisation of the Ω-background.
It has been argued that the Nekrasov's partition function gives the generating function of refined BPS state counting in the compactification of M theory on local Calabi-Yau spaces. We show that a refined version of the topological vertex we proposed before (hep-th/0502061) is a building block of the Nekrasov's partition function with two equivariant parameters. Compared with another refined topological vertex by Iqbal-Kozcaz-Vafa (hep-th/0701156), our refined vertex is expressed entirely in terms of the specialization of the Macdonald symmetric functions which is related to the equivariant ch…
It is recently claimed by Nekrasov and Shatashvili that the $\mathcal {N}=2$ gauge theories in the $Ω$ background with $ε_1=\hbar, ε_2=0$ are related to the quantization of certain algebraic integrable systems. We study the special case of SU(2) pure gauge theory, the corresponding integrable model is the A$_1$ Toda model, which reduces to the sine-Gordon quantum mechanics problem. The quantum effects can be expressed as the WKB series written analytically in terms of hypergeometric functions. We obtain the magnetic and dyonic expansions of the Nekrasov theory by studying the property of hyper…
We observe that, at beta-deformed matrix models for the four-point conformal block, the point q=0 is the point where the three-Penner type model becomes a pair of decoupled two-Penner type models and where, in the planar limit, (an array of) two-cut eigenvalue distribution(s) coalesce into (that of) one-cut one(s). We treat the Dotsenko-Fateev multiple integral, with their paths under the recent discussion, as perturbed double-Selberg matrix model (at q=0, it becomes a pair of Selberg integrals) to construct two kinds of generating functions for the q-expansion coefficients and compute some. A…
We show that Nekrasov instanton partition function for SU(N) gauge theories satisfies recursion relations in the form of U(1)+Virasoro constraints when β = 1. The constraints give a direct support for AGT conjecture for general quiver gauge theories.
We give a concise summary of the impressive recent development unifying a number of different fundamental subjects. The quiver Nekrasov functions (generalized hypergeometric series) form a full basis for all conformal blocks of the Virasoro algebra and are sufficient to provide the same for some (special) conformal blocks of W-algebras. They can be described in terms of Seiberg-Witten theory, with the SW differential given by the 1-point resolvent in the DV phase of the quiver (discrete or conformal) matrix model (β-ensemble), dS = ydz + O(ε^2) = \sum_p ε^{2p} ρ_β^{(p|1)}(z), where εand βare r…
We discuss the effective twisted superpotentials of 2d $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ theories arising upon the reduction of 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories on the $Ω$-deformed cigar-like geometry. We explain field-theoretic origins of the gaps in the spectrum in the corresponding quantum mechanical (QM) systems. We find local 2d descriptions of the physics near these gaps by resumming the non-perturbative part of the twisted superpotential and discuss arising wall-crossing phenomena. The interpretation of the associated phenomena in the classical Liouville theory and in the scattering of two heavy sta…
We study the multi-instanton partition functions of the $Ω$-deformed $\mathcal N =2^{*}$ $SU(2) $ gauge theory in the Nekrasov-Shatashvili (NS) limit. They depend on the deformation parameters $ε_{1}$, the scalar field expectation value $a$, and the hypermultiplet mass $m$. At fixed instanton number $k$, they are rational functions of $ε_{1}, a, m$ and we look for possible regularities that admit a parametrical description in the number of instantons. In each instanton sector, the contribution to the deformed Nekrasov prepotential has poles for "large" deformation parameters. To clarify the pr…
A deformation of the N=2 topological string partition function is analyzed by considering higher dimensional F-terms of the type W^{2g}*Upsilon^n, where W is the chiral Weyl superfield and each Upsilon factor stands for the chiral projection of a real function of N=2 vector multiplets. These terms generate physical amplitudes involving two anti-self-dual Riemann tensors, 2g-2 anti-self-dual graviphoton field strengths and 2n self-dual field strengths from the matter vector multiplets. Their coefficients F_{g,n} generalizing the genus g partition function F_{g,0} of the topological twisted type…
The AGT conjecture claims an equivalence of conformal blocks in 2d CFT and sums of Nekrasov functions (instantonic sums in 4d SUSY gauge theory). The conformal blocks can be presented as Dotsenko-Fateev beta-ensembles, hence, the AGT conjecture implies the equality between Dotsenko-Fateev beta-ensembles and the Nekrasov functions. In this paper, we prove it in a particular case of beta=1 (which corresponds to c = 1 at the conformal side and to epsilon_1 + epsilon_2 = 0 at the gauge theory side) in a very direct way. The central role is played by representation of the Nekrasov functions through…
We derive an infinite set of recursion formulae for Nekrasov instanton partition function for linear quiver U(N) supersymmetric gauge theories in 4D. They have a structure of a deformed version of W_{1+\infty} algebra which is called SH^c algebra (or degenerate double affine Hecke algebra) in the literature. The algebra contains W_N algebra with general central charge defined by a parameter β, which gives the $Ω$ background in Nekrasov's analysis. Some parts of the formulae are identified with the conformal Ward identity for the conformal block function of Toda field theory.
We reinterpret the OSV formula for the on-shell action/entropy function of asymptotically flat BPS black holes as a fixed point formula that is formally equivalent to a recent gluing proposal for asymptotically AdS$_4$ black holes. This prompts a conjecture that the complete perturbative answer for the most general gravitational building block of 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supergravity at a single fixed point takes the form of a Nekrasov-like partition function with equivariant parameters related to the higher-derivative expansion of the prepotential. In turn this leads to a simple localization-like p…
This paper studies geometric engineering, in the simplest possible case of rank one (Abelian) gauge theory on the affine plane and the resolved conifold. We recall the identification between Nekrasov's partition function and a version of refined Donaldson-Thomas theory, and study the relationship between the underlying vector spaces. Using a purity result, we identify the vector space underlying refined Donaldson-Thomas theory on the conifold geometry as the exterior space of the space of polynomial functions on the affine plane, with the (Lefschetz) SL(2)-action on the threefold side being du…
We show that the three different looking BPS partition functions, namely the elliptic genus of the 6d $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ $Sp(1)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors and a tensor multiplet, the Nekrasov partition function of the 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $Sp(2)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors, and the Nekrasov partition function of the 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $SU(3)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors, are all equal to each other under specific maps among gauge theory parameters. This result strongly suggests that the three gauge theories have an identical UV fixed point. Type IIB 5-brane web diagrams play an esse…
In this paper the relation between the cluster integrable systems and $q$-difference equations is extended beyond the Painlevé case. We consider the class of hyperelliptic curves when the Newton polygons contain only four boundary points. The corresponding cluster integrable Toda systems are presented, and their discrete automorphisms are identified with certain reductions of the Hirota difference equation. We also construct non-autonomous versions of these equations and find that their solutions are expressed in terms of 5d Nekrasov functions with the Chern-Simons contributions, while in the …
In this paper we summarise the localisation calculation of 5D super Yang-Mills on simply connected toric Sasaki-Einstein (SE) manifolds. We show how various aspects of the computation, including the equivariant index, the asymptotic behaviour and the factorisation property are governed by the combinatorial data of the toric geometry. We prove that the full perturbative partition function on a simply connected SE manifold corresponding to an n-gon toric diagram factorises to n copies of perturbative Nekrasov partition function. This leads us to conjecture the full partition function as gluing n…
Once famous and a little mysterious, AGT relations between Nekrasov functions and conformal blocks are now understood as the Hubbard-Stratanovich duality in the Dijkgraaf-Vafa (DV) phase of a peculiar Dotsenko-Fateev multi-logarithmic matrix model. However, it largely remains a collection of somewhat technical tricks, lacking a clear and generalizable conceptual interpretation. Our new claim is that the Nekrasov functions emerge in matrix models as a straightforward implication of superintegrability, factorization of peculiar matrix model averages. Recently, we demonstrated that, in the Gaussi…
In this paper, we study 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $Sp(N)$ gauge theory with $N_f ( \leq 2N + 3 )$ flavors based on 5-brane web diagram with $O5$-plane. On the one hand, we discuss Seiberg-Witten curve based on the dual graph of the 5-brane web with $O5$-plane. On the other hand, we compute the Nekrasov partition function based on the topological vertex formalism with $O5$-plane. Rewriting it in terms of profile functions, we obtain the saddle point equation for the profile function after taking thermodynamic limit. By introducing the resolvent, we derive the Seiberg-Witten curve and its boundary cond…
AGT conjecture connects Nekrasov instanton partition function of 4D quiver gauge theory with 2D Liouville conformal blocks. We re-investigate this connection using the central extension of spherical Hecke algebra in q-coordinate representation, q being the instanton expansion parameter. Based on AFLT basis together with interwiners we construct gauge conformal state and demonstrate its equivalence to the Liouville conformal state, with careful attention to the proper scaling behavior of the state. Using the colliding limit of regular states, we obtain the formal expression of irregular conform…
The Nekrasov conjecture predicts a relation between the partition function for N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and the Seiberg-Witten prepotential. For instantons on R^4, the conjecture was proved, independently and using different methods, by Nekrasov-Okounkov, Nakajima-Yoshioka, and Braverman-Etingof. We prove a generalized version of the conjecture for instantons on noncompact toric surfaces.
We evaluate the Nekrasov partition function of 5d gauge theories engineered by webs of 5-branes, using the refined topological vertex on the dual Calabi-Yau threefolds. The theories include certain non-Lagrangian theories such as the T_N theory. The refined topological vertex computation generically contains contributions from decoupled M2-branes which are not charged under the 5d gauge symmetry engineered. We argue that, after eliminating them, the refined topological string partition function agrees with the 5d Nekrasov partition function. We explicitly check this for the T_3 theory as well …
The Spherical Hecke central (SHc) algebra has been shown to act on the Nekrasov instanton partition functions of $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories. Its presence accounts for both integrability and AGT correspondence. On the other hand, a specific limit of the Omega background, introduced by Nekrasov and Shatashvili (NS), leads to the appearance of TBA and Bethe like equations. To unify these two points of view, we study the NS limit of the SHc algebra. We provide an expression of the instanton partition function in terms of Bethe roots, and define a set of operators that generates infinitesimal v…
Recently Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa have proposed relation between 2- and 4-dimensional conformal field theories. The relation implies that the Nekrasov partition functions of N=2 superconformal gauge theories are equal to conformal blocks associated with the conformal algebra. Likewise, a counterpart in pure super Yang-Mills theory exists in conformal field theory. We propose a simple relation between the Shapovalov matrix of the W_3-algebra and the Nekrasov partition function of N=2 SU(3) Yang-Mills theory.
We compute the light asymptotic limit of $A_{n-1}$ Toda conformal blocks by using the AGT correspondence. We show that for certain class of CFT blocks the corresponding Nekrasov partition functions in this limit are simplified drastically being represented as a sum of a restricted class of Young diagrams. In the particular case of $A_{2}$ Toda we also compute the corresponding conformal blocks using conventional CFT techniques finding a perfect agreement with the results obtained from the Nekrasov partition functions.
Nekrasov functions were conjectured in \cite{Mironov:2009uv} to be related to exact Bohr-Sommerfeld periods of quantum integrable systems. This statement was thoroughly checked for the case of the pure $SU(N_c)$ gauge theory in \cite{Mironov:2009dv} and \cite{Popolitov:2010bz}. Here we successfully perform a set of checks in the case of gauge group $SU(N_c)$ with additional $N_f$ fundamental hypermultiplets. We show that the Baxter equation for the spin chain gives the same quantum periods as the one for the Gaudin system in this case.
The AGT conjecture relates \mathcal{N}=2 4d SUSY gauge theories to 2d CFTs. Matrix model techniques can be used to investigate both sides of this relation. The large N limit refers here to the size of Young tableaux in the expression of the gauge theory partition function. It corresponds to the vanishing of Omega-background equivariant deformation parameters, and should not be confused with the t'Hooft expansion at large number of colors. In this paper, a saddle point approach is employed to study the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit of the gauge theory, leading to define beta-deformed, or quantized…
We propose a new prescription for computing the Nekrasov partition functions of five-dimensional theories with eight supercharges realized by gauging non-perturbative flavor symmetries of three five-dimensional superconformal field theories. The topological vertex formalism gives a way to compute the partition functions of the matter theories with flavor instanton backgrounds, and the gauging is achieved by summing over Young diagrams. We apply the prescription to calculate the Nekrasov partition functions of various five-dimensional gauge theories such as $\mathrm{SO}(2N)$ gauge theories with…
In this work we study the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit of the Nekrasov instanton partition function of Yang-Mills field theories with N=2 supersymmetry and gauge group SU(n). The theories are coupled with fundamental matter. The equation that determines the density of eigenvalues at the leading order in the saddle-point approximation is exactly solved. The dominating contribution to the instanton free energy is computed. The requirement that this energy is finite imposes quantization conditions on the parameters of the theory that are in agreement with analogous conditions that have been derived…
We consider the AGT relation, expressing conformal blocks for the Virasoro and W-algebras in terms of Nekrasov's special functions, in the simplest case of the 4-point functions for the first non-trivial W_3 algebra. The standard set of Nekrasov functions is sufficient only if additional null-vector restriction is imposed on a half of the external $W$-primaries and this is just the case when the conformal blocks are fully dictated by W-symmetry and do not depend on a particular model. Explicit checks confirm that the AGT relation survives in this restricted case, as expected.
The Mayer cluster expansion technique is applied to the Nekrasov instanton partition function of $\mathcal{N}=2$ $SU(N_c)$ super Yang-Mills. The subleading small $ε_2$-correction to the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limiting value of the prepotential is determined by a detailed analysis of all the one-loop diagrams. Indeed, several types of contributions can be distinguished according to their origin: long range interaction or potential expansion, clusters self-energy, internal structure, one-loop cyclic diagrams, etc.. The field theory result derived more efficiently in [1], under some minor technical…
We consider the Hanany-Witten type brane configuration in a background of RR 4-form field strength and examine the behavior of Euclidean D0-branes propagating between two NS5-branes. We evaluate the partition function of the D0-branes and show that it coincides with the Nekrasov partition function of instantons for four-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. In this analysis, the Myers effect plays a crucial role. We apply the same method to the brane configuration realizing four-dimensional N=2 theory with hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation and reproduce the correspo…
We derive Fredholm determinant representation for isomonodromic tau functions of Fuchsian systems with $n$ regular singular points on the Riemann sphere and generic monodromy in $\mathrm{GL}(N,\mathbb C)$. The corresponding operator acts in the direct sum of $N(n-3)$ copies of $L^2(S^1)$. Its kernel has a block integrable form and is expressed in terms of fundamental solutions of $n-2$ elementary 3-point Fuchsian systems whose monodromy is determined by monodromy of the relevant $n$-point system via a decomposition of the punctured sphere into pairs of pants. For $N=2$ these building blocks ha…
It has been proposed recently that topological A-model string amplitudes for toric Calabi-Yau 3-folds in non self-dual graviphoton background can be caluculated by a diagrammatic method that is called the ``refined topological vertex''. We compute the extended A-model amplitudes for SU(N)-geometries using the proposed vertex. If the refined topological vertex is valid, these computations should give rise to the Nekrasov's partition functions of N=2 SU(N) gauge theories via the geometric engineering. In this article, we verify the proposal by confirming the equivalence between the refined A-mod…
We obtain bilinear relations on Nekrasov partition functions, arising from study of tau functions of quantum $q$-Painlevé equations, from Nakajima-Yoshioka blowup relations by an elementary algebraic approach. Additionaly, using this approach, we prove certain relations on Nekrasov partition functions, modified by Chern-Simons term.
AGT relations imply that the four-point conformal block admits a decomposition into a sum over pairs of Young diagrams of essentially rational Nekrasov functions - this is immediately seen when conformal block is represented in the form of a matrix model. However, the q-deformation of the same block has a deeper decomposition - into a sum over a quadruple of Young diagrams of a product of four topological vertices. We analyze the interplay between these two decompositions, their properties and their generalization to multi-point conformal blocks. In the latter case we explain how Dotsenko-Fate…
We describe the general strategy for lifting the Wess-Zumino-Witten model from the level of one-loop Kac-Moody $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{g}})_k$ to generic quantum toroidal algebras. A nearly exhaustive presentation is given for the two series $U_{q,t}(\widehat{\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}}_1)$ and $U_{q,t}(\widehat{\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}}_n)$, when screenings do not exist and thus all the correlators are purely algebraic, i.e. do not include additional hypergeometric type integrations/summations. Generalizing the construction of the intertwiner (refined topological vertex) of the Ding-Iohara-Miki (…
An attempt is made to formulate Gaiotto's S-duality relations in an explicit quantitative form. Formally the problem is that of evaluation of the Racah coefficients for the Virasoro algebra, and we approach it with the help of the matrix model representation of the AGT-related conformal blocks and Nekrasov functions. In the Seiberg-Witten limit, this S-duality reduces to the Legendre transformation. In the simplest case, its lifting to the level of Nekrasov functions is just the Fourier transform, while corrections are related to the beta-deformation. We calculate them with the help of the mat…
We extend the proof from arXiv:1012.3137, which interprets the AGT relation as the Hubbard-Stratonovich duality relation to the case of 5d gauge theories. This involves an additional q-deformation. Not surprisingly, the extension turns out to be trivial: it is enough to substitute all relevant numbers by q-numbers in all the formulas, Dotsenko-Fateev integrals by the Jackson sums and the Jack polynomials by the MacDonald ones. The problem with extra poles in individual Nekrasov functions continues to exist, therefore, such a proof works only for β= 1, i.e. for q=t in MacDonald's notation. For …
We study Nekrasov's deformed partition function of 5-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory compactified on a circle. Mathematically it is the generating function of the characters of the coordinate rings of the moduli spaces of instantons on $\mathbb R^4$. We show that it satisfies a system of functional equations, called blowup equations, whose solution is unique. As applications, we prove (a) logarithm of the partition function times $ε_1ε_2$ is regular at $ε_1 = ε_2 = 0$, (a part of Nekrasov's conjecture), and (b) the genus 1 parts, which are first several Taylor coefficients of the …
In these notes we consider relation between conformal blocks and the Nekrasov partition function of certain $\mathcal{N}=2$ SYM theories proposed recently by Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa. We concentrate on $\mathcal{N}=2^{*}$ theory, which is the simplest example of AGT relation.
We conjecture an expression for the Liouville theory conformal blocks and correlation functions on a Riemann surface of genus g and n punctures as the Nekrasov partition function of a certain class of N=2 SCFTs recently defined by one of the authors. We conduct extensive tests of the conjecture at genus 0,1.
In this paper we study a proposal of Nekrasov, Rosly and Shatashvili that describes the effective twisted superpotential obtained from a class S theory geometrically as a generating function in terms of certain complexified length-twist coordinates, and extend it to higher rank. First, we introduce a higher rank analogue of Fenchel-Nielsen type spectral networks in terms of a generalized Strebel condition. We find new systems of spectral coordinates through the abelianization method and argue that they are higher rank analogues of the Nekrasov-Rosly-Shatashvili Darboux coordinates. Second, we …
We consider the topological string partition function, including the Nekrasov deformation, for type IIB geometries with an A_{n-1} singularity over a Riemann surface. These models realize the N=2 SU(n) superconformal gauge systems recently studied by Gaiotto and collaborators. Employing large N dualities we show why the partition function of topological strings in these backgrounds is captured by the chiral blocks of A_{n-1} Toda systems and derive the dictionary recently proposed by Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa. For the case of genus zero Riemann surfaces, we show how these systems can also b…
