arXiv research

A class of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories are constructed and shown to encode the simplicial geometries in 4-dimensions. The gauge theories are defined by applying the Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov construction in 3d/3d correspondence to certain graph complement 3-manifolds. Given a gauge theory in this class…

We show that the smooth geometry of a hyperbolic 3-manifold emerges from a classical spin system defined on a 2d discrete lattice, and moreover show that the process of this "dimensional oxidation" is equivalent with the dimensional reduction of a supersymmetric gauge theory from 4d to 3d. More concretely, we propose a…

New insights into 4d YM and 5d topological field theories with higher symmetries.

M-theory compactified on $G_2$-holonomy manifolds results in 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge theories coupled to gravity. In this paper we focus on the gauge sector of such compactifications by studying the Higgs bundle obtained from a partially twisted 7d super Yang-Mills theory on a supersymmetric three-cycle…

In this easy introduction to higher gauge theory, we describe parallel transport for particles and strings in terms of 2-connections on 2-bundles. Just as ordinary gauge theory involves a gauge group, this generalization involves a gauge '2-group'. We focus on 6 examples. First, every abelian Lie group gives a Lie 2-gr…

The paper explores gauge theory invariants and their duals via topological-holomorphic twist.

We consider compactification of type IIA supergravity on nearly Kaehler manifolds. These represent a simple class of SU(3) structure manifolds which includes S^6 and CP^3. We exhibit for the first time an explicit reduction ansatz in this context, obtaining an N=2 gauged supergravity in 4d with a single vector and hype…

Study of $G_2$ compactifications in M- / string theory.

In a given 4d spacetime bakcground, one can often construct not one but a family of distinct N=2 string theories. This is due to the multiple ways N=2 superconformal algebra can be embedded in a given worldsheet theory. We formulate the principle of obtaining different physical theories by gauging different embeddings …

New geometric approach realizes 5D bulk theories with 4D edge modes.

The paper connects complexified coordinates to spectral networks and derives an index theorem.

Unified Higgs bundle vacua from M-theory on Spin(7) spaces.

New gauge-theoretic construction of 4D hyperkähler ALE spaces.

Summarizes quantum field theories with discrete symmetry, classifying representations and anomalies.

Study gauged supergravity, M5-branes, and class R theories, constraining supergravity coefficients and calculating partition functions.

Classifies theories with eight supercharges using pseudo-periodic maps and Riemann surfaces.

Novel $A_{\infty}$-categories derived from gauge theories for manifold homologies.

String theory connects lattice models, links, and geometric Langlands.

After a review of exotic statistics for point particles in 3d BF theory, and especially 3d quantum gravity, we show that string-like defects in 4d BF theory obey exotic statistics governed by the 'loop braid group'. This group has a set of generators that switch two strings just as one would normally switch point parti…

Study skein modules via gauge theory, finding non-TQFT dimensions.

The Langlands Program was launched in the late 60s with the goal of relating Galois representations and automorphic forms. In recent years a geometric version has been developed which leads to a mysterious duality between certain categories of sheaves on moduli spaces of (flat) bundles on algebraic curves. Three years …

We study 4d superconformal indices for a large class of N=1 superconformal quiver gauge theories realized combinatorially as a bipartite graph or a set of "zig-zag paths" on a two-dimensional torus T^2. An exchange of loops, which we call a "double Yang-Baxter move", gives the Seiberg duality of the gauge theory, and t…

We study the duality between M-theory on compact holonomy G2-manifolds and the heterotic string on Calabi-Yau three-folds. The duality is studied for K3-fibered G2-manifolds, called twisted connected sums, which lend themselves to an application of fiber-wise M-theory/Heterotic Duality. For a large class of such G2-man…

The paper explores how non-Killing fields on internal spaces can produce massive gauge fields with chiral interactions.

Expanding on supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory, this work focuses on cohomological field theory aspects.

Geometrically computes superpotentials for certain 4D N=2 theories.

Study on Yang-Mills fields blow-up in 4D, proving certain configurations impossible.

We study S-dualities in analytically continued SL(2) Chern-Simons theory on a 3-manifold M. By realizing Chern-Simons theory via a compactification of a 6d five-brane theory on M, various objects and symmetries in Chern-Simons theory become related to objects and operations in dual 2d, 3d, and 4d theories. For example,…

Geometric formulation of 4D supergravity for mathematicians.

Constructs new connections with finite energy in 4D, preserving gauge equivalence and curvature properties.

Einstein gravity in both 3 and 4 dimensions, as well as some interesting generalizations, can be written as gauge theories in which the connection is a Cartan connection for geometry modeled on a symmetric space. The relevant models in 3 dimensions include Einstein gravity in Chern-Simons form, as well as a new formula…

Symmetrizes 4d and 3d BPS quivers for Argyres-Douglas theories.

Study of surface defects in gauge theories leads to duality and separation of variables.

We use the conformal invariance and the holographic correspondence to fully specify the dependence of entanglement entropy on the extrinsic geometry of the 2d surface $Σ$ that separates two subsystems of quantum strongly coupled ${\mathcal{N}}=4$ SU(N) superconformal gauge theory. We extend this result and calculate en…

Geometric interpretation of 2d-4d wall-crossing formulas.

S-dual of Hamiltonian spaces connects to Langlands duality.

Knots in 4D manifolds are trivial based on Wedderburn's Theorem.

New stable shrinking Ricci soliton found in 4D.

The paper connects orbifold singularities to higher symmetries in SQFTs.

We study the problem of finding good gauges for connections in higher gauge theories. We find that, for $2$-connections in strict $2$-gauge theory and $3$-connections in $3$-gauge theory, there are local "Coulomb gauges" that are more canonical than in classical gauge theory. In particular, they are essentially unique,…

Lecture notes on gauge theory for manifold invariants.

We propose a general notion of algebraic gauge theory obtained via extracting the main properties of classical gauge theory. Building on a recent work on transferring curved $A_{\infty}$-structures we show that, under certain technical conditions, algebraic gauge theories can be transferred along chain contractions. Sp…

Gauge theory for families helps compare 4-manifold groups.

We study some aspects of spherical symmetric dyonic non-supersymmetric black holes in $4d \; N=1$ supergravity coupled to chiral and vector multiplets on Kähler-Ricci solitons. Then, we have a family of dyonic non-supersymmetric black holes deformed with respect to the flow parameter related to the Kähler-Ricci soliton…

Explains how knots relate to 4D shapes.

The paper introduces new inequalities for knots in 4D cobordisms.

We consider dimensional reduction of gauge theories with arbitrary gauge group in a formalism based on equivariant principal bundles. For the classical gauge groups we clarify the relations between equivariant principal bundles and quiver bundles, and show that the reduced quiver gauge theories are all generically buil…

Survey of gauge theory for families of 4-manifolds.