本文提出一种几何刻画方法，通过量子曲线的等单值 tau 函数和 Exact WKB 方法定义的首选坐标，建立局部 CY 流形的拓扑弦配分函数与模空间坐标的一一对应，并利用跳跃相关的归一化变化定义关键自然线丛。
摘要：
我们提出了一种几何刻画，用于关联到局部 Calabi-Yau (CY) 流形的拓扑弦配分函数，这些流形用于 class $\mathcal{S}$ 的 $d=4$, $\mathcal{N}=2$ 超对称场论的几何工程。这些 CY 流形的量子化定义了称为量子曲线的微分算子。配分函数通过广义 theta 级数类型的展开，从关联到量子曲线的等单值 tau 函数中提取。结果表明，配分函数与量子曲线模空间上的首选坐标一一对应，这些坐标使用 Exact WKB 方法定义。以这种方式定义的坐标在模空间中的某些轨迹上发生跳跃。与这些跳跃关联的 tau 函数归一化的变化定义了一个自然线丛，在此处提出的拓扑弦配分函数的几何刻画中起关键作用。
英文摘要：
We propose a geometric characterisation of the topological string partition functions associated to the local Calabi-Yau (CY) manifolds used in the geometric engineering of $d=4$, $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric field theories of class $\mathcal{S}$. A quantisation of these CY manifolds defines differential operators called quantum curves. The partition functions are extracted from the isomonodromic tau-functions associated to the quantum curves by expansions of generalised theta series type. It turns out that the partition functions are in one-to-one correspondence with preferred coordinates on the moduli spaces of quantum curves defined using the Exact WKB method. The coordinates defined in this way jump across certain loci in the moduli space. The changes of normalisation of the tau-functions associated to these jumps define a natural line bundle playing a key role in the geometric characterisation of the topological string partition functions proposed here.
This paper describes the reconstruction of the topological string partition function for certain local Calabi-Yau (CY) manifolds from the quantum curve, an ordinary differential equation obtained by quantising their defining equations. Quantum curves are characterised as solutions to a Riemann-Hilbert problem. The isomonodromic tau-functions associated to these Riemann-Hilbert problems admit a family of natural normalisations labelled by the chambers in the extended Kähler moduli space of the local CY under consideration. The corresponding isomonodromic tau-functions admit a series expansion o…
We propose to use the identification of topological string partition functions as equivariant indices on framed moduli spaces of instantons to study the Gopakumar-Vafa conjecture for some local Calabi-Yau geometries.
We have used the Topological String Theory partition function in the scaling limit, to relate the Black Hole partition function and Topological String Theory partition function.
In this paper we describe an approach to construct semiclassical partition functions in gravity which are complete in the sense that they contain a complete description of the differentiable structures of the underlying 4-manifold. In addition, we find our construction naturally includes cosmic strings. We discuss some possible applications of the partition functions in the fields of both quantum gravity and topological string theory
We use the polynomial formulation of the holomorphic anomaly equations governing perturbative topological string theory to derive the free energies in a scaling limit to all orders in perturbation theory for any Calabi-Yau threefold. The partition function in this limit satisfies an Airy differential equation in a rescaled topological string coupling. One of the two solutions of this equation gives the perturbative expansion and the other solution provides geometric hints of the non-perturbative structure of topological string theory. Both solutions can be expanded naturally around strong coup…
We study mass-deformed N=2 gauge theories from various points of view. Their partition functions can be computed via three dual approaches: firstly, (p,q)-brane webs in type II string theory using Nekrasov's instanton calculus, secondly, the (refined) topological string using the topological vertex formalism and thirdly, M theory via the elliptic genus of certain M-strings configurations. We argue for a large class of theories that these approaches yield the same gauge theory partition function which we study in detail. To make their modular properties more tangible, we consider a fourth appro…
It is known that the large N expansion of the partition function in ABJM theory on a three-sphere is completely determined by the topological string on local Hirzebruch surface F_0. In this note, we investigate the ABJM partition function on an ellipsoid, which has a conventional deformation parameter b. Using 3d mirror symmetry, we find a remarkable relation between the ellipsoid partition function for b^2=3 (or b^2=1/3) in ABJM theory at k=1 and a matrix model for the topological string on another Calabi-Yau threefold, known as local P^2. As in the case of b=1, we can compute the full large …
The method of topological vertex for topological string theory on toric Calabi-Yau 3-folds is reviewed. Implications of an explicit formula of partition functions in the "on-strip" case, typically the generalized conifolds, are considered. Generating functions of part of the partition functions are shown to be tau functions of the KP hierarchy. The associated Baker-Akhiezer functions play the role of wave functions, and satisfy $q$-difference equations. These $q$-difference equations represent the quantum mirror curves conjectured by Gukov and Sułkowski.
We discuss partition functions of N=(4,4) type IIA string theory on the pp-wave background. This theory is shown to be modular invariant. The boundary states are constructed and possible D-brane instantons are classified. Then we calculate cylinder amplitudes in both closed and open string descriptions and check the open/closed string duality. Furthermore we consider general properties of modular invariant partition functions in the case of pp-waves.
We refine the relation between the renormalized partition function of the open bosonic string in background fields and the effective action. In the process, we get some leading derivative corrections to the Born-Infeld action which include all powers of the gauge field.
We show that the solitonic contribution of compactified strings corresponds to the quantum statistical partition function of a free particle living on higher dimensional spaces. In the simplest case of a compactification in a circle, the Hamiltonian corresponds to the Laplacian on the 2g-dimensional Jacobian torus associated to the genus g Riemann surface corresponding to the string worldsheet. T-duality leads to a symmetry of the partition function mixing time and temperature. Such a classical/quantum correspondence and T-duality shed some light on the well-known interplay between time and te…
Graphs on surfaces is an active topic of pure mathematics belonging to graph theory. It has also been applied to physics and relates discrete and continuous mathematics. In this paper we present a formal mathematical description of the relation between graph theory and the mathematical physics of discrete string theory. In this description we present problems of the combinatorial world of real importance for graph theorists. The mathematical details of the paper are as follows: There is a combinatorial description of the partition function of bosonic string theory. In this combinatorial descri…
In this paper we show that the polynomial structure of the topological string partition function found by Yamaguchi and Yau for the quintic holds for an arbitrary Calabi-Yau manifold with any number of moduli. Furthermore, we generalize these results to the open topological string partition function as discussed recently by Walcher and reproduce his results for the real quintic.
The divergences that arise in the regularized partition function for closed bosonic string theory in flat space lead to three types of perturbation series expansions, distinguished by their genus dependence. This classification of infinities can be traced to geometrical characteristics of the string worldsheet. Some categories of divergences may be eliminated in string theories formulated on compact manifolds.
The evidence for string/string-duality can be extended from the matching of the vector couplings to gravitational couplings. In this note this is shown in the rank three example, the closest stringy analog of the Seiberg/Witten-setup, which is related to the Calabi-Yau $WP^4_{1,1,2,2,6}(12)$. I provide an exact analytical verification of a relation checked by coefficient comparison to fourth order by Kaplunovsky, Louis and Theisen.
In this paper we consider the interrelation between compactified string theories on torus and gauge fields on it. We start from open string theories with background gauge fields and derive partition functions by path integral. Since the effects of background fields and compactification correlate only through string zero modes, we investigate these zero modes. From this point of view, we discuss the Wilson loop mechanism at finite temperature. For the closed string, only a few comments are mentioned.
Higher genus partition functions of string world sheets with boundaries are relevant, e.g. for computation of quantum corrections to Wilson loop expectation values. As a preparation for a possible study of strings in curved space like AdS here we consider examples of genus one partition functions of string world-sheets ending on a circle in the bosonic string theory in flat space. We begin with the partition function for annular topology, writing it as an integral over the modulus of the annulus. In the process, we compute the determinant of the Laplacian on the annulus for Dirichlet-Dirichlet…
Quadratic tachyon profile has been discussed in the boundary string field theory. We here compute the g-function by factorizing the cylinder amplitude. The answer is compared with the disc partition function. The boundary state is constructed. We extend these computations to those of the boundary sine-Gordon model at the free fermion point.
We find that the high temperature limit of the free energy per unit length for the rigid string agrees dimensionally with that of the QCD string (unlike the Nambu-Goto string). The sign, and in fact the phase, do not agree. While this may be a clue to a string theory of QCD, we note that the problem of the fourth derivative action makes it impossible for the rigid string to be a correct description.
The dominant contribution to the semicanonical partition function of dyonic black holes of N=4 string theory is computed for generic charges, generalizing recent results of Shih and Yin. The result is compared to the black hole free energy obtained from the conjectured relation to topological strings. If certain perturbative corrections are included agreement is found to subleading order. These corrections modify the conjectured relation and implement covariance with respect to electric-magnetic duality transformations.
T-duality is one of the essential elements of string theory. Recently, Hull has developed a formalism where the dimension of the target space is doubled so as to make T-duality manifest. This is then supplemented with a constraint equation that allows the connection to the usual string sigma model. This paper analyses the partition function of the doubled formalism by interpreting the constraint equation as that of a chiral scalar and then using holomorphic factorisation techniques to determine the partition function. We find there is quantum equivalence to the ordinary string once the topolog…
We investigate the structure of the higher genus topological string amplitudes on the quintic hypersurface. It is shown that the partition functions of the higher genus than one can be expressed as polynomials of five generators. We also compute the explicit polynomial forms of the partition functions for genus 2, 3, and 4. Moreover, some coefficients are written down for all genus.
We review the polynomial structure of the topological string partition functions as solutions to the holomorphic anomaly equations. We also explain the connection between the ring of propagators defined from special Kähler geometry and the ring of almost-holomorphic modular forms defined on modular curves.
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.
We study the stringy instanton partition function of four dimensional ${\cal N}=2$ $U(N)$ supersymmetric gauge theory which was obtained by Bonelli et al in 2013. In type IIB string theory on $\mathbb{C}^2\times T^*\mathbb{P}^1\times \mathbb{C}$, the stringy $U(N)$ instantons of charge $k$ are described by $k$ D1-branes wrapping around the $\mathbb{P}^1$ bound to $N$ D5-branes on $\mathbb{C}^2\times \mathbb{P}^1$. The KK corrections induced by compactification of the $\mathbb{P}^1$ give the stringy corrections. We find a relation between the stringy instanton partition function whose quantum s…
We evaluate quasi-classically the Ramond partition function of Euclidean D=10 U(N) super-Yang--Mills theory reduced to a two-dimensional torus. The result can be interpreted in terms of free strings wrapping the space-time torus, as expected from the point of view of Matrix string theory. We demonstrate that, when extrapolated to the ultraviolet limit (small area of the torus), the quasi-classical expressions reproduce exactly the recently obtained expression for the partition of the completely reduced SYM theory, including the overall numerical factor. This is an evidence that our quasi-class…
We study the free energy of the pure glue QCD string with a torus target space and the gauge groups $SU(N)$ and (chiral) $U(N)$. It is highly constrained by a strong/weak gauge coupling duality which results in modular covariance. The string free energy is computed exactly in terms of modular forms for worldsheet genera 1 - 8. It has a surprisingly mild singularity in the weak gauge coupling/small area limit.
We propose a non-perturbative definition for refined topological strings. This can be used to compute the partition function of superconformal theories in 5 dimensions on squashed S^5 and the superconformal index of a large number of 6 dimensional (2,0) and (1,0) theories, including that of N coincident M5 branes. The result can be expressed as an integral over the product of three combinations of topological string amplitudes. SL(3,Z) modular transformations acting by inverting the coupling constants of the refined topological string play a key role.
We revisit non-interacting string partition functions in Rindler space by summing over fields in the spectrum. In field theory, the total partition function splits in a natural way in a piece that does not contain surface terms and a piece consisting of solely the so-called edge states. For open strings, we illustrate that surface contributions to the higher spin fields correspond to open strings piercing the Rindler origin, unifying the higher spin surface contributions in string language. For closed strings, we demonstrate that the string partition function is not quite the same as the sum o…
We find a Nekrasov-type expression for the Seiberg-Witten prepotential for the six-dimensional non-critical E_8 string theory toroidally compactified down to four dimensions. The prepotential represents the BPS partition function of the E_8 strings wound around one of the circles of the toroidal compactification with general winding numbers and momenta. We show that our expression exhibits expected modular properties. In particular, we prove that it obeys the modular anomaly equation known to be satisfied by the prepotential.
A systematic approach to the study of semiclassical fluctuations of strings in AdS_5 x S^5 based on the Green-Schwarz formalism is developed. We show that the string partition function is well defined and finite. Issues related to different gauge choices are clarified. We consider explicitly several cases of classical string solutions with the world surface ending on a line, on a circle or on two lines on the boundary of AdS. The first example is a BPS object and the partition function is one. In the third example the determinants we derive should give the first corrections to the Wilson loop …
We investigate the disk partition function for the open string. This is a subtle problem because of the presence of a residual gauge group $\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{R})$ on the worldsheet even after fixing the conformal gauge. It naively has infinite volume and leads to a vanishing answer. We use different methods that all demonstrate that $\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{R})$ effectively behaves like a group with finite negative volume in the path integral, which leads to a simple prescription for the computation of the disk partition function. We apply our findings to give a simple rederivation of the …
We apply the method of topological quantization to obtain the bosonic string topological spectrum propagating on a flat background. We define the classical configuration of the system, and construct the corresponding principal fiber bundle (pfb) that uniquely represents it. The topological spectrum is defined through the characteristic class of the pfb. We find explicit expressions for the topological spectrum for particular configurations of the bosonic strings on a Minkowski background and show that they lead to a discretization of the total energy of the system.
We study various properties of a nonperturbative partition function which can be associated to any spectral curve. When the spectral curve arises from a matrix model, this nonperturbative partition function is given by a sum of matrix integrals over all possible filling fractions, and includes all the multi-instanton corrections to the perturbative 1/N expansion. We show that the nonperturbative partition function, which is manifestly holomorphic, is also modular and background independent: it transforms as the partition function of a twisted fermion on the spectral curve. Therefore, modularit…
We revisit partition functions of closed strings on toroidal backgrounds, including their $\mathbb{Z}_N$ shift orbifolds in the formalism where the dimension of the target space is doubled to make T-duality manifest. In such a T-duality covariant formalism, the constraint equation imposes a form of chiral factorization. Our computation furnishes a non-trivial consistency check for the quantum worldsheet theory of the doubled sigma model, when strings are placed on general toroidal backgrounds. The topological term that mixes the physical space and its T-dual is crucial in demonstrating that ch…
In this paper we study certain degenerations of the mirror curves, associated with Calabi-Yau threefolds $X_{N,M}$, and the effect of these degenerations on the topological string partition function of $X_{N,M}$. We show that when the mirror curve degenerates and become the union of the lower genus curves the corresponding partition function factorizes into pieces corresponding to the components of the degenerate mirror curve. Moreoever we show that using degeneration of a generalised mirror curve it is possible to obtain the partition function corresponding to $X_{N,M-1}$ from $X_{N,M}$.
We use the operator formalism to derive the bosonic contribution to the twisted open string partition function in toroidal compactifications. This amplitude describes, for instance, the planar interaction between g+1 magnetized or intersecting D-branes. We write the result both in the closed and in the open string channel in terms of Prym differentials on the appropriate Riemann surface. Then we focus on the g=2 case for a 2-torus. By factorizing the twisted partition function in the open string channel we obtain an explicit expression for the 3-twist field correlator, which is the main ingred…
We derive a compact and explicit expression for the generating functional of all correlation functions of tachyon operators in 2D string theory. This expression makes manifest relations of the $c=1$ system to KP flow and $W_{1+\infty}$ constraints. Moreover we derive a Kontsevich-Penner integral representation of this generating functional.
We perform an exact computation of the gauged linear sigma model associated to a D1-D5 brane system on a resolved A_1 singularity. This is accomplished via supersymmetric localization on the blown-up two-sphere. We show that in the blow-down limit C^2/Z_2 the partition function reduces to the Nekrasov partition function evaluating the equivariant volume of the instanton moduli space. For finite radius we obtain a tower of world-sheet instanton corrections, that we identify with the equivariant Gromov-Witten invariants of the ADHM moduli space. We show that these corrections can be encoded in a…
We consider string theory on $\text{AdS}_3 \times \text{S}^3 \times \mathbb{T}^4$ in the tensionless limit, with one unit of NS-NS flux. This theory is conjectured to describe the symmetric product orbifold CFT. We consider the string on different Euclidean backgrounds such as thermal $\text{AdS}_3$, the BTZ black hole, conical defects and wormhole geometries. In simple examples we compute the full string partition function. We find it to be independent of the precise bulk geometry, but only dependent on the geometry of the conformal boundary. For example, the string partition function on ther…
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…
We calculate the torus partition sum of a general $CFT_2$ with left and right moving conserved currents $J$ and $\bar J$, perturbed by a combination of the irrelevant operators $T\bar T$, $J\bar T$ and $T\bar J$. We use string theory techniques to write it as an integral transform of the partition sum of the unperturbed CFT with chemical potentials for the left and right moving conserved charges. The resulting expression transforms in the right way under the modular group, and reproduces the known spectrum of these models. We also derive a formula for the partition function of deformed $CFT_2$…
We prove that topological recursion applied to the spectral curve of colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of torus knots reproduces the n-point functions of a particular partition function called the extended Ooguri-Vafa partition function. This generalizes and refines the results of Brini-Eynard-Marino and Borot-Eynard-Orantin. We also discuss how the statement of spectral curve topological recursion in this case fits into the program of Alexandrov-Chapuy-Eynard-Harnad of establishing the topological recursion for general weighted double Hurwitz numbers partition functions (a.k.a. KP tau-functions o…
The modular invariance of the one-loop partition function of the closed bosonic string in four dimensions in the presence of certain homogeneous exact pp-wave backgrounds is studied. In the absence of an axion field the partition function is found to be modular invariant. In the presence of an axion field modular invariace is broken. This can be attributed to the light-cone gauge which breaks the symmetry in the $σ$-, $t$-directions. Recovery of this broken modular invariance suggests the introduction of twists in the world-sheet directions. However, one needs to go beyond the light-cone gauge…
We show that the partition function on a generalised conifold $C_{m,n}$ with ${m+n \choose m}$ crepant resolutions can be equivalently computed on the compound du Val singularity $A_{m+n-1}\times \mathbb C$ with a unique crepant resolution.
We study the topological string partition function of a class of toric, double elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds $X_{N,M}$ at a generic point in the Kähler moduli space. These manifolds engineer little string theories in five dimensions or lower and are dual to stacks of M5-branes probing a transverse orbifold singularity. Using the refined topological vertex formalism, we explicitly calculate a generic building block which allows to compute the topological string partition function of $X_{N,M}$ as a series expansion in different Kähler parameters. Using this result we give further ex…
I construct a complete 1-loop partition function of a bosonic closed string on orbifolds. Furthermore, I derive sufficient conditions for the modular invariance of the partition function.
We compute the 1-loop partition function for strings in $AdS_4\times\mathbb{CP}^3$, whose worldsheets end along a line with small cusp angles in the boundary of AdS. We obtain these 1-loop results in terms of the vacuum energy for on-shell modes. Our results verify the proposal by Lewkowycz and Maldacena in arXiv:1312.5682 for the exact Bremsstrahlung function up to the next to leading order in the strong coupling expansion. The agreement is observed for cusps distorting either the 1/2 BPS or the 1/6 BPS Wilson line.
In this paper we use the the topological vertex formalism to calculate a generalization of the "domain wall" partition function of M-strings. This generalization allows calculation of partition function of certain compactified webs using a simple gluing algorithm similar to M-strings case.
Exact expressions for the partition functions of the rigid string and membrane at any temperature are obtained in terms of hypergeometric functions. By using zeta function regularization methods, the results are analytically continued and written as asymptotic sums of Riemann-Hurwitz zeta functions, which provide very good numerical approximations with just a few first terms. This allows to obtain systematic corrections to the results of Polchinski et al., corresponding to the limits $T\rightarrow 0$ and $T\rightarrow \infty$ of the rigid string, and to analyze the intermediate range of temper…
Important illustration to the principle ``partition functions in string theory are $τ$-functions of integrable equations'' is the fact that the (dual) partition functions of $4d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories solve Painlevé equations. In this paper we show a road to self-consistent proof of the recently suggested generalization of this correspondence: partition functions of topological string on local Calabi-Yau manifolds solve $q$-difference equations of non-autonomous dynamics of the ``cluster-algebraic'' integrable systems. We explain in details the ``solutions'' side of the proposal. In t…
We consider the BPS states of the $E_8$ non-critical string wound around one of the circles of a toroidal compactification to four dimensions. These states are indexed by their momenta and winding numbers. We find explicit expressions, $G_n$, for the momentum partition functions for the states with winding number $n$. The $G_n$ are given in terms of modular forms. We give a simple algorithm for generating the $G_n$, and we show that they satisfy a recurrence relation that is reminiscent of the holomorphic anomaly equations of Kodaira-Spencer theory.
We calculate the topological string partition function to all genus on the conifold, in the presence of branes. We demonstrate that the partition functions for different brane backgrounds (smoothly connected along a quantum corrected moduli space) can be interpreted as the same wave function in different polarizations. This behavior has a natural interpretation in the Chern-Simons target space description of the topological theory. Our detailed analysis however indicates that non-perturbatively, a modification of real Chern-Simons theory is required to capture the correct target space theory o…
