We consider ramified coverings of P^1 with arbitrary ramification type over 0 and infinity and simple ramifications elsewhere and prove that the generating function for the numbers of such coverings is a tau-function for the Toda lattice hierarchy of Ueno and Takasaki.
There is now a renewed interest to the Hurwitz tau-function, counting the isomorphism classes of Belyi pairs, arising in the study of equilateral triangulations and Grothiendicks's dessins d'enfant. It is distinguished by belonging to a particular family of Hurwitz tau-functions, possessing conventional Toda/KP integrability properties. We explain how the variety of recent observations about this function fits into the general theory of matrix model tau-functions. All such quantities possess a number of different descriptions, related in a standard way: these include Toda/KP integrability, sev…
Multiparametric families of hypergeometric $τ$-functions of KP or Toda type serve as generating functions for weighted Hurwitz numbers, providing weighted enumerations of branched covers of the Riemann sphere. A graphical interpretation of the weighting is given in terms of constellations mapped onto the covering surface. The theory is placed within the framework of topological recursion, with the Baker function at ${\bf t} ={\bf 0}$ shown to satisfy the quantum spectral curve equation, whose classical limit is rational. A basis for the space of formal power series in the spectral variable is …
The KP and 2D Toda tau-functions of hypergeometric type that serve as generating functions for weighted single and double Hurwitz numbers are related to the topological recursion programme. A graphical representation of such weighted Hurwitz numbers is given in terms of weighted constellations. The associated classical and quantum spectral spectral curves are derived, and these are interpreted combinatorially in terms of the graphical model. The pair correlators are given a finite Christoffel-Darboux representation and determinantal expressions are obtained for the multipair correlators. The g…
We calculate the Laplace transform of the cut-and-join equation of Goulden, Jackson and Vakil. The result is a polynomial equation that has the topological structure identical to the Mirzakhani recursion formula for the Weil-Petersson volume of the moduli space of bordered hyperbolic surfaces. We find that the direct image of this Laplace transformed equation via the inverse of the Lambert W-function is the topological recursion formula for Hurwitz numbers conjectured by Bouchard and Marino using topological string theory.
Various generating functions of simple Hurwitz numbers of the projective line are known to satisfy many properties. They include a heat equation, the Eynard-Orantin topological recursion, an infinite-order differential equation called a quantum curve equation, and a Schroedinger like partial differential equation. In this paper we generalize these properties to simple Hurwitz numbers with an arbitrary base curve.
In this paper, we present some Hurwitz-Hodge integral identities which are derived from the Laplace transform of the cut-and-join equation for the orbifold Hurwitz numbers. As an application, we prove a conjecture on Hurwitz-Hodge integral proposed by J. Zhou in 2008.
We introduce a one-parameter deformation of the 2-Toda tau-function of (weighted) Hurwitz numbers, obtained by deforming Schur functions into Jack symmetric functions. We show that its coefficients are polynomials in the deformation parameter $b$ with nonnegative integer coefficients. These coefficients count generalized branched coverings of the sphere by an arbitrary surface, orientable or not, with an appropriate $b$-weighting that "measures" in some sense their non-orientability. Notable special cases include non-orientable dessins d'enfants for which we prove the most general result so fa…
A multiparametric family of 2D Toda $τ$-functions of hypergeometric type is shown to provide generating functions for composite, signed Hurwitz numbers that enumerate certain classes of branched coverings of the Riemann sphere and paths in the Cayley graph of $S_n$. The coefficients $F^{c_1, ..., c_l}_{d_1, ..., d_m}(μ, ν)$ in their series expansion over products $P_μP'_ν$ of power sum symmetric functions in the two sets of Toda flow parameters and powers of the $l+m$ auxiliary parameters are shown to enumerate $|μ|=|ν|=n$ fold branched covers of the Riemann sphere with specified ramification …
We give a new proof of the cut-and-join equation for the monotone Hurwitz numbers, derived first by Goulden, Guay-Paquet, and Novak. Our proof in particular uses a combinatorial technique developed by Han. The main interest in this particular equation is its close relation to the quadratic loop equation in the theory of spectral curve topological recursion, and we recall this motivation giving a new proof of the topological recursion for monotone Hurwitz numbers, obtained first by Do, Dyer, and Mathews.
The main result proved in the paper is the computation of the explicit equations defining the Hurwitz schemes of coverings with punctures as subschemes of the Sato infinite Grassmannian. As an application, we characterize the existence of certain linear series on a smooth curve in terms of soliton equations.
It is investigated Hurwitz numbers, that correspond to covering of disk with single non-simple boundary critical value. It is found differential equations, that describe a generating function for these numbers.
Consequences of the Toda equations arising from the conjectural matrix model for the Riemann sphere are investigated. The Toda equations determine the Gromov-Witten descendent potential (including all genera) of the Riemann sphere from the degree 0 part. Degree 0 series computations via Hodge integrals then lead to higher degree predictions by the Toda equations. First, closed series forms for all 1-point invariants of all genera and degrees are given. Second, degree 1 invariants are investigated with new applications to Hodge integrals. Third, a differential equation for the generating functi…
We construct Frobenius structures of "dual type" on the moduli space of ramified coverings of $\mathbb{P}^1$ with given ramification type over two points, generalizing a construction of Dubrovin. A complete hierarchy of hydrodynamic type is obtained from the corresponding deformed flat connection. This provides a suitable framework for the Whitham theory of an enlarged class of integrable hierarchies; we treat as examples the q-deformed Gelfand-Dickey hierarchy and the sine-Gordon equation, and compute the corresponding solutions of the WDVV equations.
In this paper, we discuss the properties of the generating functions of spin Hurwitz numbers. In particular, for spin Hurwitz numbers with arbitrary ramification profiles, we construct the weighed sums which are given by Orlov's hypergeometric solutions of the 2-component BKP hierarchy. We derive the closed algebraic formulas for the correlation functions associated with these tau-functions, and under reasonable analytical assumptions we prove the loop equations (the blobbed topological recursion). Finally, we prove a version of topological recursion for the spin Hurwitz numbers with the spin …
In the Hurwitz space of rational functions on CP^1 with poles of given orders, we study the loci of multisingularities, that is, the loci of functions with a given ramification profile over 0. We prove a recursion relation on the Poincare dual cohomology classes of these loci and deduce a differential equation on Hurwitz numbers.
M.Kazarian and S.Lando found a 1-parametric interpolation between Kontsevich and Hurwitz partition functions, which entirely lies within the space of KP tau-functions. V.Bouchard and M.Marino suggested that this interpolation satisfies some deformed Virasoro constraints. However, they described the constraints in a somewhat sophisticated form of AMM-Eynard equations for the rather involved Lambert spectral curve. Here we present the relevant family of Virasoro constraints explicitly. They differ from the conventional continuous Virasoro constraints in the simplest possible way: by a constant s…
We present a study of real Hurwitz numbers enumerating a special kind of real meromorphic functions, which we call simple framed purely real functions. We deduce partial differential equations of cut-and-join type for generating functions for these numbers. We also construct a topological field theory for them.
Ribbon decomposition is a way to obtain a surface with boundary (compact, not necessarily oriented) from a collection of disks by joining them with narrow ribbons attached to segments of the boundary. Counting ribbon decompositions gives rise to a "twisted" version of the classical Hurwitz numbers (studied earlier in \cite{CD} in a different context) and of the cut-and-join equation. We also provide an algebraic description of these numbers and an explicit formula for them in terms of zonal polynomials.
We find that the first Hurwitz triplet possesses two distinct arithmetic structures. As Shimura curves $X_1$, $X_2$, $X_3$, whose levels are with norm 13. As non-congruence modular curves $Y_1$, $Y_2$, $Y_3$, whose levels are 7. Both of them are defined over ${\Bbb Q}(\cos \frac{2 π}{7})$. However, for the third non-congruence modular curve $Y_3$, there exist an "exotic" duality between the associated non-congruence modular forms and the Hilbert modular forms, both of them are related to ${\Bbb Q}(e^{\frac{2 πi}{13}})$! Our results have relations and applications to modular equations of degree…
Double Hurwitz numbers count branched covers of the projective line with fixed branch points, with simple branching required over all but two points 0 and infinity, and the branching over 0 and infinity specified by partitions of the degree (with m and n parts respectively). Single Hurwitz numbers have a rich structure, explored by authors in many fields. The ELSV formula relates single Hurwitz numbers to intersection theory on the moduli space of curves, and has led to many consequences. We determine the structure of double Hurwitz numbers using geometry, algebra, and representation theory. O…
We study the Toda equations in the continuous level, discrete level and ultradiscrete level in terms of elliptic and hyperelliptic $σ$ and $ψ$ functions of genera one and two. The ultradiscrete Toda equation appears as a discrete-valuation of recursion relations of $ψ$ functions.
We compute equations for a Hurwitz curve of genus 17 and we conclude that the canonical ideal of any Hurwitz curve of genus 14 or 17 is generated by quadrics.
We consider multi-matrix models that are generating functions for the numbers of branched covers of the complex projective line ramified over $n$ fixed points $z_i$, $i=1,\dots,n$, (generalized Grotendieck's dessins d'enfants) of fixed genus, degree, and the ramification profiles at two points, $z_1$ and $z_n$. Ramifications at other $n-2$ points enter the sum with the length of the profile at $z_2$ and with the total length of profiles at the remaining $n-3$ points. We find the spectral curve of the model for $n=5$ using the loop equation technique for the above generating function represente…
The well known Hurwitz upper bound states that a closed Riemann surface $S$ of genus $g \geq 2$ has at most $84(g-1)$ conformal automorphisms. If $S$ has exactly $84(g-1)$ conformal automorphisms, then it is called a Hurwitz curve. The first two genera for which there are Hurwitz's curves are $g \in \{3,7\}$. In both situations there is exactly one such curve up to conformal equivalence, in particular, in both cases the field of moduli is ${\mathbb Q}$. As these two curves are quasiplatonic curves, they are definable over ${\mathbb Q}$. The Hurwitz's curve of genus $g=3$ is given by Klein's qu…
E. Kani has shown that the Hurwitz functor, which parametrizes the (normalized) genus 2 covers of degree 3 of an elliptic curve, is representable. In this paper the corresponding moduli scheme and the universal family are explicitly calculated and described by short equations.
This paper establishes certain existence and classification results for solutions to $SU(n)$ Toda systems with three singular sources at 0, 1, and $\infty$. First, we determine the necessary conditions for such an $SU(n)$ Toda system to be related to an $n$th order hypergeometric equation. Then, we construct solutions for $SU(n)$ Toda systems that satisfy the necessary conditions and also the interlacing conditions from Beukers and Heckman. Finally, for $SU(3)$ Toda systems satisfying the necessary conditions, we classify, under a natural reality assumption, that all the solutions are related …