Mathematical Physics

The Euler characteristic of a compact complex manifold M is a classical cohomological invariant. Depending on the viewpoint, it is most natural to interpret it as an index of an elliptic differential operator on M, or as a supersymmetric index in superconformal field theories “on M”. Refining the Euler characteristic but keeping with both index theoretic interpretations, one arrives at the notion of complex elliptic genera. We argue that superconformal field theory motivates further refinements of these elliptic genera which result in a choice of several new invariants, all of which have lost their interpretation in terms of index theory. However, at least if M is a K3 surface, then superconformal field theory and higher algebra select the same new invariant as a natural refinement of the complex elliptic genus.

Topological field theories in the sense of Atiyah–Segal are symmetric monoidal functors from a bordism category to the category of complex (super) vector spaces. A field theory E of dimension d associates vector spaces to closed (d-1)-manifolds and linear maps to manifolds of dimension d. It turns out that if E is invertible, i.e., if the vector spaces associated to (d-1)-manifolds have dimension one, then the complex number E(M) that E associates to a closed d-manifold M, is an SKK manifold invariant. Here these letters stand for schneiden=cut, kleben=glue and kontrolliert=controlled, meaning that E(M) does not change when modifying the manifold by cutting and gluing along hypersurfaces in a controlled way. The main result of this joint work with Matthias Kreck and Peter Teichner is that the map described above gives a bijection between topological field theories and SKK manifold invariants.

We describe joint work with L. Hollands on the geometry of the moduli space of flat connections over a Riemann surface. On the one hand, we generalize and compute certain "complexified Fenchel-Nielsen" coordinates for SL(2)-connections to higher rank using the spectral network "abelianization" approach of Gaiotto-Moore-Neitzke. We then use these coordinates to compute superpotentials, following a conjecture of Nekrasov-Rosly-Shatashvili which roughly states the following: a certain low energy effective twisted superpotential arising from compactifying a theory of class S is equal to the generating function (in the sense of symplectic geometry), in some special coordinates, of the Lagrangian submanifold of opers in the associated moduli space of flat connections.

In this talk I would like to briefly sketch how one can use the tools of derived symplectic geometry and holomorphically twisted gauge theories to derive a relationship between symplectic duality and local Langlands. Our starting point will be an observation due to Gaiotto-Witten that a 3d N=4 theory with a G-flavor symmetry is a boundary condition for 4d N=4 SYM with gauge group G. By examining the relationship between boundary observables and bulk lines we will be able to derive constructions originally due to Braverman, Finkelberg, Nakajima. By examine the relationship between boundary lines and bulk surface operators one can derive new connections to local geometric Langlands. This is based on joint work with Philsang Yoo, Tudor Dimofte, and Davide Gaiotto

According to the principle of locality in physics, events taking place at different locations should behave independently of each other, a feature expected to be reflected in the measurements. We propose an algebraic locality framework to keep track of the independence, where sets are equipped with a binary symmetric relation we call a locality relation on the set, this giving rise to a locality set category. In this algebraic locality setup, we implement a multivariate regularisation, which gives rise to multivariate meromorphic functions. In this case, independence of events is reflected in the fact that the multivariate meromorphic functions involve independent sets of variables. A minimal subtraction scheme defined in terms of a projection map onto the holomorphic part then yields renormalised values. This multivariate approach can be implemented to renormalise at poles, various higher multizeta functions such as conical zeta functions (discrete sums on convex cones) and branched zeta functions (discrete sums associated with rooted trees). This renormalisation scheme strongly relies on the fact that the maps we are renormalizing can be viewed as locality algebra morphisms. This talk is based on joint work with Pierre Clavier, Li Guo and Bin Zhang.

I will describe joint work with Sachin Gautam where we give a definition of the category of finite-dimensional representations of an elliptic quantum group which is intrinsic, uniform for all Lie types, and valid for numerical values of the deformation and elliptic parameters. We also classify simple objects in this category in terms of elliptic Drinfeld polynomials. This classification is new even for sl(2), as is our definition outside of type A.

Various recent developments, in particular in the context of topological Fukaya categories, seem to be glimpses of an emerging theory of categorified homotopical and homological algebra. The increasing number of meaningful examples and constructions make it desirable to develop such a theory systematically. In this talk, we discuss a step towards this goal: a categorification of the classical Dold–Kan correspondence

In this talk I will present some upcoming work on Bridgeland stability conditions on partially wrapped Fukaya categories of topological surfaces. The main result is a proof that the stability conditions defined by Haiden, Katzarkov and Kontsevich using quadratic differentials cover the entire stability space. This proof uses a definition of the new concept of relative stability conditions, which is a relative version of Bridgeland's definition, with functorial behavior analogous to compactly supported cohomology. This definition is exclusive to the setting of these categories, and I will discuss problems and possibilities regarding generalization to other types of categories.

There are various ways to define factorization algebras: one can define a factorization algebra that lives over the open subsets of some fixed manifold; or, alternatively, one can define a factorization algebra on the site of all manifolds of a given dimension (possibly with a specified geometric structure). In this talk, I will outline a comparison between G-equivariant factorization algebras on a fixed model space M to factorization algebras on the site of all manifolds equipped with a (M, G)-structure, given by an atlas with charts in M and transition maps given by elements of G. I will introduce the definitions of these two concepts and then sketch the proof that there is a quasi-equivalence between these dg-categories. This is work in progress

This talk is based on joint work with Yuri Manin. The idea of a “geometry over the field with one element F1” arises in connection with the study of properties of zeta functions of varieties defined over Z. Several different versions of F1 geometry (geometry below Spec(Z)) have been proposed over the years (by Tits, Manin, Deninger, Kapranov–Smirnov, etc.) including the use of homotopy theoretic methods and “brave new algebra” of ring spectra (To¨en–Vaqui´e). We present a version of F1 geometry that connects the homotopy theoretic viewpoint, using Zakharevich’s approach to the construction of spectra via assembler categories, and a point of view based on the Bost–Connes quantum statistical mechanical system, and we discuss its relevance in the context of counting problems, zeta-functions and generalised scissors congruences.

I will review the construction of “higher operations” on local and extended operators in topological field theory, and some applications of this construction in supersymmetric field theory. In particular, the higher operation on supersymmetric local operators in a 3d N=4 theory turns out to be induced by the holomorphic Poisson structure on the moduli space of the theory. This leads to a new way of establishing the non-renormalization properties of this Poisson structure, and also to a simple topological reason for the appearance of its deformation quantization when the theory is placed in Omega-background. This is an account of joint work with Christopher Beem, DavidB en-Zvi, Mathew Bullimore, and Tudor Dimofte.