We give a pedagogical introduction to the study of supersymmetric partition functions of 3D $\mathcal{N}{=}2$ supersymmetric Chern-Simons-matter theories (with an $R$-symmetry) on half-BPS closed three-manifolds---including $S^3$, $S^2 \times S^1$, and any Seifert three-manifold. Three-dimensional gauge theories can flow to non-trivial fixed points in the infrared. In the presence of 3D $\mathcal{N}{=}2$ supersymmetry, many exact results are known about the strongly-coupled infrared, due in good part to powerful localization techniques. We review some of these techniques and emphasize some more recent developments, which provide a simple and comprehensive formalism for the exact computation of half-BPS observables on closed three-manifolds (partition functions and correlation functions of line operators). Along the way, we also review simple examples of 3D infrared dualities. The computation of supersymmetric partition functions provides exceedingly precise tests of these dualities.
We derive non-Abelian localization formulae for supersymmetric Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theory with matters on a Seifert manifold M, which is the three-dimensional space of a circle bundle over a two-dimensional Riemann surface Σ, by using the cohomological approach introduced by Kallen. We find that the partition function and the vev of the supersymmetric Wilson loop reduces to a finite dimensional integral and summation over classical flux configurations labeled by discrete integers. We also find the partition function reduces further to just a discrete sum over integers in some cases, and ev…
We study 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on closed oriented Seifert manifold---circle bundles over an orbifold Riemann surface---, with a gauge group G given by a product of simply-connected and/or unitary Lie groups. Our main result is an exact formula for the supersymmetric partition function on any Seifert manifold, generalizing previous results on lens spaces. We explain how the result for an arbitrary Seifert geometry can be obtained by combining simple building blocks, the "fibering operators." These operators are half-BPS line defects, whose insertion along the $S^1$ fi…
We study globally supersymmetric 3d gauge theories on curved manifolds by describing the coupling of 3d topological gauge theories, with both Yang-Mills and Chern-Simons terms in the action, to background topological gravity. In our approach the Seifert condition for manifolds supporting global supersymmetry is elegantly deduced from the topological gravity BRST transformations. A cohomological characterization of the geometrical moduli which affect the partition function is obtained. In the Seifert context Chern-Simons topological (framing) anomaly is BRST trivial. We compute explicitly the c…
Chern-Simons (CS) theories with rank $N$ and level $k$ on Seifert manifold are discussed. The partition functions of such theories can be written as a function of modular transformation matrices summed over different integrable representations of affine Lie algebra $u(N)_k$ associated with boundary Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) model. Using properties of modular transform matrices we express the partition functions of these theories as a unitary matrix model. We show that, the eigenvalues of unitary matrices are discrete and proportional to hook lengths of the corresponding integrable Young diagram…
We explore aspects of the correspondence between Seifert 3-manifolds and 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric theories with a distinguished abelian flavour symmetry. We give a prescription for computing the squashed three-sphere partition functions of such 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories constructed from boundary conditions and interfaces in a 4d $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ theory, mirroring the construction of Seifert manifold invariants via Dehn surgery. This is extended to include links in the Seifert manifold by the insertion of supersymmetric Wilson-'t Hooft loops in the 4d $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ theory. In th…
The path integral for the partition function of Chern-Simons gauge theory with a compact gauge group is evaluated on a general Seifert 3-manifold. This extends previous results and relies on abelianisation, a background field method and local application of the Kawasaki Index theorem.
We consider Chern-Simons theory with complex gauge group and present a complete non-perturbative evaluation of the path integral (the partition function and certain expectation values of Wilson loops) on Seifert fibred 3-Manifolds. We use the method of Abelianisation. In certain cases the path integral can be seen to factorize neatly into holomorphic and anti-holomorphic parts. We obtain closed formulae of this factorization for the expectation values of torus knots.
We reconsider Chern-Simons gauge theory on a Seifert manifold M (the total space of a nontrivial circle bundle over a Riemann surface). When M is a Seifert manifold, Lawrence and Rozansky have shown from the exact solution of Chern-Simons theory that the partition function has a remarkably simple structure and can be rewritten entirely as a sum of local contributions from the flat connections on M. We explain how this empirical fact follows from the technique of non-abelian localization as applied to the Chern-Simons path integral. In the process, we show that the partition function of Chern-S…
We study Chern-Simons theory on 3-manifolds M that are circle-bundles over 2-dimensional orbifolds S by the method of Abelianisation. This method, which completely sidesteps the issue of having to integrate over the moduli space of non-Abelian flat connections, reduces the complete partition function of the non-Abelian theory on M to a 2-dimensional Abelian theory on the orbifold S which is easily evaluated.
We discover a modular property of supersymmetric partition functions of supersymmetric theories with R-symmetry in four dimensions. This modular property is, in a sense, the generalization of the modular invariance of the supersymmetric partition function of two-dimensional supersymmetric theories on a torus i.e. of the elliptic genus. The partition functions in question are on manifolds homeomorphic to the ones obtained by gluing solid tori. Such gluing involves the choice of a large diffeomorphism of the boundary torus, along with the choice of a large gauge transformation for the background…
We study three-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on $\mathcal{M}_{g,p}$, an oriented circle bundle of degree $p$ over a closed Riemann surface, $Σ_g$. We compute the $\mathcal{M}_{g,p}$ supersymmetric partition function and correlation functions of supersymmetric loop operators. This uncovers interesting relations between observables on manifolds of different topologies. In particular, the familiar supersymmetric partition function on the round $S^3$ can be understood as the expectation value of a so-called "fibering operator" on $S^2 \times S^1$ with a topological twis…
We study the dependence of supersymmetric partition functions on continuous parameters for the flavor symmetry group, $G_F$, for 2d $\mathcal{N} = (0,2)$ and 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric quantum field theories. In any diffeomorphism-invariant scheme and in the presence of $G_F$ 't Hooft anomalies, the supersymmetric Ward identities imply that the partition function has a non-holomorphic dependence on the flavor parameters. We show this explicitly for the 2d torus partition function, $Z_{T^2}$, and for a large class of 4d partition functions on half-BPS four-manifolds, $Z_{\mathcal{M}_4}$-…
We study four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric $U(N)$ gauge theory with $2N$ fundamental hypermultiplets in the self-dual $Ω$-background. The partition function simplifies at special points of the parameter space and is related to the partition function of two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory on $S^{2}$. We also consider the insertion of a Wilson loop operator in two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory and find the corresponding operator in the four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theory.
We discuss the supersymmetric formulation of the nonhermitian $β= 2$ random matrix partition function with one bosonic flavor. This partition function is regularized by adding one conjugate boson and fermion each. A supersymmetric nonlinear $σ$-model for the resulting Goldstone degrees of freedom is obtained using symmetry arguments only. For a Gaussian probability distribution the same results are derived using superbosonization and the complex orthogonal polynomial method. The symmetry arguments apply to any model with the same symmetries and a mass gap, and demonstrate the universality of t…
We derive the relation between the Hilbert space of certain geometries under the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization and the perturbative prepotentials for the supersymmetric five-dimensional SU(N) gauge theories with massive fundamental matters and with one massive adjoint matter. The gauge theory with one adjoint matter shows interesting features. A five-dimensional generalization of Nekrasov's partition function can be written as a correlation function of two-dimensional chiral bosons and as a partition function of a statistical model of partitions. From a ground state of the statistical model we …
We use supersymmetric localization to compute the partition function of N=2 super-Yang-Mills on S^4 in the presence of a gauged linear sigma model surface defect on a S^2 subspace. The result takes the form of a standard partition function on S^4, with a modified instanton partition function and an additional insertion corresponding to a shifted version of the gauged linear sigma model partition function.
In this note, we propose the free energy of general \emph{non-supersymmetric} black hole attractors arising in type IIA(B) superstrings on 3-fold Calabi-Yau, in the supergravity limit. This, by definition, differs from its counterpart BPS free energy by a factor of $4 $. Correspondingly, a mixed ensemble for these black holes is proposed.
We study the different quantum phases that occur in massive ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric QCD with gauge groups $SU(2)$ and $SU(3)$ as the coupling $Λ/M$ is gradually increased from 0 to infinity. The phases can be identified by computing the exact partition function by saddle-points, combining supersymmetric localization and the Seiberg-Witten formalism. In all cases, we find two phases, a weak coupling and a strong coupling phase, separated by a critical point described by a superconformal field theory or involving superconformal sectors. In crossing the critical point, the dominant saddle-poi…
We study the new case of the application of the JKLMR conjecture on the connection between the exact partition functions of $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetric gauged linear sigma models (GLSM) on $S^2$ and special Kähler geometry on the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau manifold $Y$. The last ones arise as manifolds of the supersymmetric vacua of the GLSM. We establish this correspondence using the Mirror symmetry in Batyrev's approach. Namely, starting from the two-moduli non-Fermat Calabi-Yau manifold $X$ we construct the dual GLSM with the supersymmetric vacua $Y$, which is the mirror for $X$. Kn…
Di Pietro and Komargodski have recently demonstrated a four-dimensional counterpart of Cardy's formula, which gives the leading high-temperature ($β\rightarrow{0}$) behavior of supersymmetric partition functions $Z^{SUSY}(β)$. Focusing on superconformal theories, we elaborate on the subleading contributions to their formula when applied to free chiral and U(1) vector multiplets. In particular, we see that the high-temperature expansion of $\ln Z^{SUSY}(β)$ terminates at order $β^0$. We also demonstrate how their formula must be modified when applied to SU($N$) toric quiver gauge theories in th…
We calculate partition functions for supersymmetric heterotic theories on Melvin background with Wilson line. These functions coincide with partition functions for some of non-supersymmetric heterotic theories in appropriate limits. This suggests that non-supersymmetric heterotic theories are equivalent to supersymmetric theories on supersymmetry-breaking backgrounds, just as in the case of recently conjectured IIA-0A duality.
Previous studies have shown that supersymmetric partition function on $T^2 \times S^2$ is related to elliptic genus of two dimensional supersymmetric theory. In this short note we find a four dimensional supersymmetric theory, whose partition function on $T^2 \times S^2$ is the same as elliptic genera of $\mathcal{N}=2$ minimal models in two dimensions.
Based on the construction by Hosomichi, Seong and Terashima we consider N=1 supersymmetric 5D Yang-Mills theory with matter on a five-sphere with radius r. This theory can be thought of as a deformation of the theory in flat space with deformation parameter r and this deformation preserves 8 supercharges. We calculate the full perturbative partition function as a function of r/g^2, where g is the Yang-Mills coupling, and the answer is given in terms of a matrix model. We perform the calculation using localization techniques. We also argue that in the large N-limit of this deformed 5D Yang-Mill…
We compute the partition function of the supersymmetric two-dimensional Euclidean black hole geometry described by the SL(2,R)/U(1) superconformal field theory. We decompose the result in terms of characters of the N=2 superconformal symmetry. We point out puzzling sectors of states besides finding expected discrete and continuous contributions to the partition function. By adding an N=2 minimal model factor of the correct central charge and projecting on integral N=2 charges we compute the partition function of the background dual to little string theory in a double scaling limit. We show the…
We examine the one-loop partition function describing the fluctuations of the superstring in a Schwarzschild-AdS$_5\times S^5$ background. On the bosonic side, we demonstrate the one-loop equivalence of the Nambu-Goto action and the Polyakov action for a general worldsheet, while on the fermionic side, we consider the reduction of the ten-dimensional Green-Schwarz fermion action to a two-dimensional worldsheet action. We derive the partition functions of the worldsheets corresponding to both straight and parallel Wilson lines. We show that the UV divergences of the functional determinants in t…
We use the techniques of supersymmetric localization to compute the BPS black hole entropy in N=2 supergravity. We focus on the n_v+1 vector multiplets on the black hole near horizon background which is AdS_2 x S^2 space. We find the localizing saddle point of the vector multiplets by solving the localization equations, and compute the exact one loop partition function on the saddle point. Furthermore, we propose the appropriate functional integration measure. Through this measure, the one loop determinant is written in terms of the radius of the physical metric, which depends on the localizin…
We show that a recently conjectured form for perturbative supersymmetric partition functions on spheres of general dimension $d$ is consistent with the flat space limit of 6-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ super Yang-Mills. We also show that the partition functions for $\mathcal{N}=1$ 8- and 9-dimensional theories are consistent with their known flat space limits.
We study the supersymmetric partition function of 4d supersymmetric gauge theories with a U(1) R-symmetry on Euclidean $S^3\times S_β^1$, with $S^3$ the unit-radius squashed three-sphere, and $β$ the circumference of the circle. For superconformal theories, this partition function coincides (up to a Casimir energy factor) with the 4d superconformal index. The partition function can be computed exactly using supersymmetric localization of the gauge theory path-integral. It takes the form of an elliptic hypergeometric integral, which may be viewed as a matrix-integral over the moduli space of th…
The most recent studies on the supersymmetric localization reveal many non-trivial features of supersymmetric field theories in diverse dimensions, and 3d gauge theory provides a typical example. It was conjectured that the index and the partition function of a 3d N=2 theory are constructed from a single component: the holomorphic block. We prove this conjecture for non-abelian gauge theories by computing exactly the 3d partition functions and holomorphic blocks.
We define a squashed four-sphere by a dimensional reduction of a twisted S^4 x S^1, and construct explicitly a supersymmetric Yang-Mills action on it. The action includes a non-trivial dilaton factor and a theta term with a non-constant theta. The partition function of this theory is calculated using the localization technique. The resulting partition function can be written in the form consistent with the AGT relation due to the non-constant theta term. The parameter b which characterizes the partition function in this form is not restricted to be real for the squashed four-sphere.
We study the Janus interface, a domain wall characterized by spatially varying couplings, in two-dimensional N=(2,2) supersymmetric gauge theories on the two-sphere. When the variations of the couplings are small enough, SUSY localization in the Janus background gives an analytic continuation of the sphere partition function. This directly demonstrates that the interface entropy is proportional to the quantity known as Calabi's diastasis, as originally shown by Bachas et al. When the variations are not small, we propose that an analytic continuation of the sphere partition function coincides w…
By means of an identity that equates elliptic genus partition function of a supersymmetric sigma model on the $N$-fold symmetric product $S^N X$ of $X$ ($S^N X=X^N/S_N$, $S_N$ is the symmetric group of $N$ elements) to the partition function of a second quantized string theory, we derive the asymptotic expansion of the partition function as well as the asymptotic for the degeneracy of spectrum in string theory. The asymptotic expansion for the state counting reproduces the logarithmic correction to the black hole entropy.
We propose a novel string theory propagating in a non-commutative deformation of the four dimensional space T* T^2 whose scattering states correspond to superconformal theories in 5 dimensions and the scattering amplitudes compute superconformal indices of the corresponding 5d theories. The superconformal theories are obtained by M-theory compactifications on singular CY 3-folds or equivalently from a web of 5-branes of type IIB strings. The cubic interaction of this string theory for primitive winding modes corresponds to the (refined) topological vertex. The oscillator modes of the string th…
Worldsheet (0,2) gauged linear sigma models are often used to study supersymmetric heterotic string compactifications with non-trivial vector bundles. We make use of supersymmetric localization techniques to determine their one-loop partition functions. In particular we derive conditions which ensure that the full partition function is modular invariant and we propose a method to determine the massless and massive target space matter spectrum.
We compute the supersymmetric partition function of an $\mathcal{N}=1$ chiral multiplet coupled to an external Abelian gauge field on complex manifolds with $T^2 \times S^2$ topology. The result is locally holomorphic in the complex structure moduli of $T^2\times S^2$. This computation illustrates in a simple example some recently obtained constraints on the parameter dependence of supersymmetric partition functions. We also devise a simple method to compute the chiral multiplet partition function on any four-manifold $\mathcal{M}_4$ preserving two supercharges of opposite chiralities, via sup…
The universal perturbative invariants of rational homology spheres can be extracted from the Chern-Simons partition function by combining perturbative and nonperturbative results. We spell out the general procedure to compute these invariants, and we work out in detail the case of Seifert spaces. By extending some previous results of Lawrence and Rozansky, the Chern-Simons partition function with arbitrary simply-laced group for these spaces is written in terms of matrix integrals. The analysis of the perturbative expansion amounts to the evaluation of averages in a Gaussian ensemble of random…
We propose an exact, finite $N$ formula for the partition function over $1/4^{th}$ BPS states in the conformal field theory on the world volume of $N$ coincident M5 branes and $1/8^{th}$ BPS states in the theory of $N$ coincident M2 branes. We obtain our partition function by performing the radial quantization of the Coulomb Branches of these theories, and rederive the same formula from the quantization of supersymmetric giant and dual giant gravitons in $AdS_7 \times S^4$ and $AdS_4 \times S^7$. Our partition function is qualitatively similar to the analogous quantity in ${\cal N}=4$ Yang Mil…
The universal enveloping algebra of ${\cal W}_{1+\infty}$ is isomorphic to the affine Yangian of $\mathfrak{gl}_1$. We study the ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric version of this correspondence, and identify the full set of defining relations of the supersymmetric affine Yangian. These relations can be deduced by demanding that the algebra has a representation on twin-plane-partitions, which we construct by gluing pairs of plane partitions. We define the action of the algebra on these twin-plane-partitions explicitly.
We continue to study the matrix model of the $N_f =2$ $SU(2)$ case that represents the irregular conformal block. What provides us with the Painlevé system is not the instanton partition function per se but rather a finite analog of its Fourier transform that can serve as a generating function. The system reduces to the extension of the Gross-Witten-Wadia unitary one-matrix model by the logarithmic potential while keeping the planar critical behavior intact. The double scaling limit to this critical point is a constructive way to study Argyres-Douglas type theory from IR. We elaborate upon the…
We present a systematic classification of counterterms of four-dimensional supersymmetric field theories on curved space, obtained as the rigid limit of new minimal supergravity. These are supergravity invariants constructed using the field theory background fields. We demonstrate that if the background preserves two supercharges of opposite chirality, then all dimensionless counterterms vanish, implying that in this case the supersymmetric partition function is free of ambiguities. When only one Euclidean supercharge is preserved, we describe the ambiguities that appear in the partition funct…
We count the supersymmetric vacua of mass-deformed N=6 U(N)xU(N) Chern-Simons-matter theory by calculating the Witten index. When the Chern-Simons level k is 1, our result perfectly agrees with that from the gravity dual, given by partitions of N. For general k, our index generalizes partitions of N, including additional degrees. We also comment on non-relativistic superconformal theories constructed from this model.
A parent action is introduced to formulate (S-) dual of non-anticommutative N=1\2 supersymmetric U(1) gauge theory. Partition function for parent action in phase space is utilized to establish the equivalence of partition functions of the theories which this parent action produces. Thus, duality invariance of non-anticommutative N=1\2 supersymmetric U(1) gauge theory follows. The results which we obtained are valid at tree level or equivalently at the first order in the nonanticommutativity parameter C_{μν}.
We consider supersymmetric field theories on compact manifolds M and obtain constraints on the parameter dependence of their partition functions Z_M. Our primary focus is the dependence of Z_M on the geometry of M, as well as background gauge fields that couple to continuous flavor symmetries. For N=1 theories with a U(1)_R symmetry in four dimensions, M must be a complex manifold with a Hermitian metric. We find that Z_M is independent of the metric and depends holomorphically on the complex structure moduli. Background gauge fields define holomorphic vector bundles over M and Z_M is a holomo…
We consider 3d N>= 2 superconformal field theories on a branched covering of a three-sphere. The Renyi entropy of a CFT is given by the partition function on this space, but conical singularities break the supersymmetry preserved in the bulk. We turn on a compensating R-symmetry gauge field and compute the partition function using localization. We define a supersymmetric observable, called the super Renyi entropy, parametrized by a real number q. We show that the super Renyi entropy is duality invariant and reduces to entanglement entropy in the q -> 1 limit. We provide some examples.
We study N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on a Kaehler manifold with $b_2^+ \geq 3$. Adding suitable perturbations we show that the partition function of the N=4 theory is the sum of contributions from two branches: (i) instantons, (ii) a special class of Seiberg-Witten monopoles. We determine the partition function for the theories with gauge group SU(2) and SO(3), using S-duality. This leads us to a formula for the Euler characteristic of the moduli space of instantons.
We consider the Gopakumar-Ooguri-Vafa correspondence, relating ${\rm U}(N)$ Chern-Simons theory at large $N$ to topological strings, in the context of spherical Seifert 3-manifolds. These are quotients $\mathbb{S}^Γ = Γ\backslash\mathbb{S}^3$ of the three-sphere by the free action of a finite isometry group. Guided by string theory dualities, we propose a large $N$ dual description in terms of both A- and B-twisted topological strings on (in general non-toric) local Calabi-Yau threefolds. The target space of the B-model theory is obtained from the spectral curve of Toda-type integrable systems…
We derive the partition function of {\cal N}=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on orbifold-T^4/{\bf Z}_2 for gauge group SU(N). We generalize the method of our previous work for the SU(2) case to the SU(N) case. The resulting partition function is represented as the sum of the product of Göttche formula of singular quotient space $T^4/{\bf Z}_2 $ and of blow-up formulas including A_{N-1} theta series with level N.
We compute the partition functions of $\mathcal{N} = 1$ gauge theories on $S^2 \times \mathbb{R}^2_\varepsilon$ using supersymmetric localization. The path integral reduces to a sum over vortices at the poles of $S^2$ and at the origin of $\mathbb{R}^2_\varepsilon$. The exact partition functions allow us to test Seiberg duality beyond the supersymmetric index. We propose the $\mathcal{N} = 1$ partition functions on the $Ω$-background, and show that the Nekrasov partition functions can be recovered from these building blocks.
We study $N=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on a large family of squashed 4-spheres preserving $SU(2)\times U(1)\subset SO(4)$ isometry and determine the conditions under which this background is supersymmetric. We then compute the partition function of the theories by using localization technique. The results indicate that for $N=2$ SUSY, including both vector-multiplets and hypermultiplets, the partition function is independent of the arbitrary squashing functions as well as of the other supergravity background fields.
We consider a twisted version of the four-dimensional N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge groups SU(2) and SO(3), and bare masses for two of its chiral multiplets, thereby breaking N=4 down to N=2. Using the wall-crossing technique introduced by Moore and Witten within the u-plane approach to twisted topological field theories, we compute the partition function and all the topological correlation functions for the case of simply-connected spin four-manifolds of simple type. By including 't Hooft fluxes, we analyse the properties of the resulting formulae under duality transformatio…
Five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories are investigated from the viewpoint of random plane partitions. It is shown that random plane partitions are factorizable as q-deformed random partitions so that they admit the interpretations as five-dimensional Yang-Mills and as topological string amplitudes. In particular, they lead to the exact partition functions of five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills with the Chern-Simons terms. We further show that some specific partitions, which we call the ground partitions, describe the perturbative regime of t…
We refine a previous proposal for obtaining the multi-instanton partition function from the supersymmetric index of the 1d supersymmetric gauge theory on the worldline of D0-branes. We provide examples where the refinements are crucial for obtaining the correct result.
We study partition function of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric field theory on $T^2 \times S^2$. By applying supersymmetry localization, we show that the $T^2 \times S^2$ partition function is given by elliptic genus of certain two-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ theory. As an application, we discuss a relation between 4d Seiberg duality duality and 2d $(0,2)$ triality, proposed by Gadde, Gukov and Putrov. In other examples, we identify 4d theories giving elliptic genera of K3, M-strings and E-strings. In the example of K3, we find that there are two 4d theories giving the elli…
We consider N=3 supersymmetric Chern-Simons (CS) theories that contain product U(N) gauge groups and bifundamental matter fields. Using the matrix model of Kapustin, Willett and Yaakov, we examine the Euclidean partition function of these theories on an S^3 in the large N limit. We show that the only such CS theories for which the long range forces between the eigenvalues cancel have quivers which are in one-to-one correspondence with the simply laced affine Dynkin diagrams. As the A_n series was studied in detail before, in this paper we compute the partition function for the D_4 quiver. The …
Recently there was a substantial progress in understanding of supersymmetric theories (in particular, their BPS spectrum) in space-times of different dimensions due to the exact computation of superconformal indices and partition functions using localization method. Here we discuss a connection of 4d superconformal indices and 3d partition functions using a particular example of supersymmetric theories with matter in antisymmetric representation.
Supersymmetric black holes provide an excellent theoretical laboratory to test ideas about quantum gravity in general and black hole entropy in particular. When four-dimensional supergravity is interpreted as the low-energy approximation of ten-dimensional string theory or eleven-dimensional M-theory, one has a microscopic description of the black hole which allows one to count microstates and to compare the result to the macroscopic (geometrical) entropy. Recently it has been conjectured that there is a very direct connection between the partition function of the topological string and a part…
