The geometry of finite dimensional algebras with vanishing radical square

Let $\Lambda$ be a basic finite dimensional algebra over an algebraically closed field, with the property that the square of the Jacobson radical $J$ vanishes. We determine the irreducible components of the module variety $\text{Mod}_{\bf d}(\Lambda)$ for any dimension vector $\bf d$. Our description leads to a count of the components in terms of the underlying Gabriel quiver. A closed formula for the number of components when $\Lambda$ is local extends existing counts for the two-loop quiver to quivers with arbitrary finite sets of loops. For any algebra $\Lambda$ with $J^2 = 0$, our criteria for identifying the components of $\text{Mod}_{\bf d}(\Lambda)$ permit us to characterize the modules parametrized by the individual irreducible components. Focusing on such a component, we explore generic properties of the corresponding modules by establishing a geometric bridge between the algebras with zero radical square on one hand and their stably equivalent hereditary counterparts on the other. The bridge links certain closed subvarieties of Grassmannians parametrizing the modules with fixed top over the two types of algebras. By way of this connection, we transfer results of Kac and Schofield from the hereditary case to algebras of Loewy length $2$. Finally, we use the transit of information to show that any algebra of Loewy length $2$ which enjoys the dense orbit property in the sense of Chindris, Kinser and Weyman has finite representation type

Quantum hypermultiplet moduli spaces in N=2 string vacua: a review

The hypermultiplet moduli space M_H in type II string theories compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold X is largely constrained by supersymmetry (which demands quaternion-K\"ahlerity), S-duality (which requires an isometric action of SL(2, Z)) and regularity. Mathematically, M_H ought to encode all generalized Donaldson-Thomas invariants on X consistently with wall-crossing, modularity and homological mirror symmetry. We review recent progress towards computing the exact metric on M_H, or rather the exact complex contact structure on its twistor space.Comment: 31 pages; Contribution to the Proceedings of String Math 2012; v2: references added, misprints corrected, published versio

Holographic Lattices, Dimers, and Glasses

We holographically engineer a periodic lattice of localized fermionic impurities within a plasma medium by putting an array of probe D5-branes in the background produced by N D3-branes. Thermodynamic quantities are computed in the large N limit via the holographic dictionary. We then dope the lattice by replacing some of the D5-branes by anti-D5-branes. In the large N limit, we determine the critical temperature below which the system dimerizes with bond ordering. Finally, we argue that for the special case of a square lattice our system is glassy at large but finite N, with the low temperature physics dominated by a huge collection of metastable dimerized configurations without long-range order, connected only through tunneling events.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures; v2: minor revisions mad

Toric Methods in F-theory Model Building

In this review article we discuss recent constructions of global F-theory GUT models and explain how to make use of toric geometry to do calculations within this framework. After introducing the basic properties of global F-theory GUTs we give a self-contained review of toric geometry and introduce all the tools that are necessary to construct and analyze global F-theory models. We will explain how to systematically obtain a large class of compact Calabi-Yau fourfolds which can support F-theory GUTs by using the software package PALP.Comment: 19 pages. Prepared for the special issue "Computational Algebraic Geometry in String and Gauge Theory" of Advances in High Energy Physics, v2: references added, typos correcte

Massless interacting particles

We show that classical electrodynamics of massless charged particles and the Yang--Mills theory of massless quarks do not experience rearranging their initial degrees of freedom into dressed particles and radiation. Massless particles do not radiate. We consider a version of the direct interparticle action theory for these systems following the general strategy of Wheeler and Feynman.Comment: LaTeX; 20 pages; V4: discussion is slightly modified to clarify some important points, relevant references are adde

T-duality simplifies bulk-boundary correspondence: some higher dimensional cases

Recently we introduced T-duality in the study of topological insulators, and used it to show that T-duality trivialises the bulk-boundary correspondence in 2 dimensions. In this paper, we partially generalise these results to higher dimensions and briefly discuss the 4D quantum Hall effect.Comment: 25 pages. To appear in Ann. Henri Poincar