Schur Indices, BPS Particles, and Argyres-Douglas Theories

We conjecture a precise relationship between the Schur limit of the superconformal index of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ field theories, which counts local operators, and the spectrum of BPS particles on the Coulomb branch. We verify this conjecture for the special case of free field theories, $\mathcal{N}=2$ QED, and $SU(2)$ gauge theory coupled to fundamental matter. Assuming the validity of our proposal, we compute the Schur index of all Argyres-Douglas theories. Our answers match expectations from the connection of Schur operators with two-dimensional chiral algebras. Based on our results we propose that the chiral algebra of the generalized Argyres-Douglas theory $(A_{k-1},A_{N-1})$ with $k$ and $N$ coprime, is the vacuum sector of the $(k,k+N)$ $W_{k}$ minimal model, and that the Schur index is the associated vacuum character.Comment: 46 pages, 12 figures. v2: revisions to section 1, references adde

What's Done Cannot Be Undone: TASI Lectures on Non-Invertible Symmetry

We survey recent developments in a novel kind of generalized global symmetry, the non-invertible symmetry, in diverse spacetime dimensions. We start with several different but related constructions of the non-invertible Kramers-Wannier duality symmetry in the Ising model, and conclude with a new interpretation for the neutral pion decay and other applications. These notes are based on lectures given at the TASI 2023 summer school ``Aspects of Symmetry."Comment: 93 pages. Many figures, tables, Lagrangians, and Hamiltonians, with a hint of category theor

Surface Defects and Chiral Algebras

We investigate superconformal surface defects in four-dimensional N=2 superconformal theories. Each such defect gives rise to a module of the associated chiral algebra and the surface defect Schur index is the character of this module. Various natural chiral algebra operations such as Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction and spectral flow can be interpreted as constructions involving four-dimensional surface defects. We compute the index of these defects in the free hypermultiplet theory and Argyres-Douglas theories, using both infrared techniques involving BPS states, as well as renormalization group flows onto Higgs branches. In each case we find perfect agreement with the predicted characters.Comment: 52 pages, 1 tabl