Topological twists of massive SQCD, Part II

This is the second and final part of ‘Topological twists of massive SQCD’. Part I is available at Lett. Math. Phys. 114 (2024) 3, 62. In this second part, we evaluate the contribution of the Coulomb branch to topological path integrals for N=2 supersymmetric QCD with Nf ≤ 3 massive hypermultiplets on compact four-manifolds. Our analysis includes the decoupling of hypermultiplets, the massless limit and the merging of mutually non-local singularities at the Argyres–Douglas points. We give explicit mass expansions for the four-manifolds ℙ2 and K3. For ℙ2, we find that the correlation functions are polynomial as function of the masses, while infinite series and (potential) singularities occur for K3. The mass dependence corresponds mathematically to the integration of the equivariant Chern class of the matter bundle over the moduli space of Q-fixed equations. We demonstrate that the physical partition functions agree with mathematical results on Segre numbers of instanton moduli spaces

Topological twists of massive SQCD, Part II

This is the second and final part of ``Topological twists of massive SQCD''. Part I is available at arXiv:2206.08943. In this second part, we evaluate the contribution of the Coulomb branch to topological path integrals for $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric QCD with $N_f\leq 3$ massive hypermultiplets on compact four-manifolds. Our analysis includes the decoupling of hypermultiplets, the massless limit and the merging of mutually non-local singularities at the Argyres-Douglas points. We give explicit mass expansions for the four-manifolds $\mathbb{P}^2$ and $K3$. For $\mathbb{P}^2$, we find that the correlation functions are polynomial as function of the masses, while infinite series and (potential) singularities occur for $K3$. The mass dependence corresponds mathematically to the integration of the equivariant Chern class of the matter bundle over the moduli space of $Q$-fixed equations. We demonstrate that the physical partition functions agree with mathematical results on Segre numbers of instanton moduli spaces.Comment: 80 pages + appendices, 13 figures. Second part of a series of two papers, first part is available at arXiv:2206.0894

Taming Binarized Neural Networks and Mixed-Integer Programs

There has been a great deal of recent interest in binarized neural networks, especially because of their explainability. At the same time, automatic differentiation algorithms such as backpropagation fail for binarized neural networks, which limits their applicability. By reformulating the problem of training binarized neural networks as a subadditive dual of a mixed-integer program, we show that binarized neural networks admit a tame representation. This, in turn, makes it possible to use the framework of Bolte et al. for implicit differentiation, which offers the possibility for practical implementation of backpropagation in the context of binarized neural networks. This approach could also be used for a broader class of mixed-integer programs, beyond the training of binarized neural networks, as encountered in symbolic approaches to AI and beyond.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Elliptic Loci of SU(3) Vacua

The space of vacua of many four-dimensional, $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories can famously be identified with a family of complex curves. For gauge group $SU(2)$, this gives a fully explicit description of the low-energy effective theory in terms of an elliptic curve and associated modular fundamental domain. The two-dimensional space of vacua for gauge group $SU(3)$ parametrizes an intricate family of genus two curves. We analyze this family using the so-called Rosenhain form for these curves. We demonstrate that two natural one-dimensional subloci of the space of $SU(3)$ vacua, $\mathcal{E}_u$ and $\mathcal{E}_v$, each parametrize a family of elliptic curves. For these elliptic loci, we describe the order parameters and fundamental domains explicitly. The locus $\mathcal{E}_u$ contains the points where mutually local dyons become massless, and is a fundamental domain for a classical congruence subgroup. Moreover, the locus $\mathcal{E}_v$ contains the superconformal Argyres-Douglas points, and is a fundamental domain for a Fricke group.Comment: 39 pages + Appendices, 5 figures, v2: minor changes and extended discussion on automorphism

Hybrid Methods in Polynomial Optimisation

The Moment/Sum-of-squares hierarchy provides a way to compute the global minimizers of polynomial optimization problems (POP), at the cost of solving a sequence of increasingly large semidefinite programs (SDPs). We consider large-scale POPs, for which interior-point methods are no longer able to solve the resulting SDPs. We propose an algorithm that combines a first-order Burer-Monteiro-type method for solving the SDP relaxation, and a second-order method on a non-convex problem obtained from the POP. The switch from the first to the second-order method is based on a quantitative criterion, whose satisfaction ensures that Newton's method converges quadratically from its first iteration. This criterion leverages the point-estimation theory of Smale and the active-set identification. We illustrate the methodology to obtain global minimizers of large-scale optimal power flow problems

Decay channels for double extremal black holes in four dimensions

We explore decay channels for charged black holes with vanishing temperature in $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric compactifications of string theory. If not protected by supersymmetry, such extremal black holes are expected to decay as a consequence of the weak gravity conjecture. We concentrate on double extremal, non-supersymmetric black holes for which the values of the scalar fields are constant throughout space-time, and explore decay channels for which decay into BPS and anti-BPS constituents is energetically favorable. We demonstrate the existence of decay channels at tree level for large families of double extremal black holes. For specific charges, we also find stable non-supersymmetric black holes, suggesting recombination of (anti)-supersymmetric constituents to a non-supersymmetric object

Four flavors, triality, and bimodular forms

We consider $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric $\text{SU}(2)$ gauge theory with $N_f=4$ massive hypermultiplets. The duality group of this theory contains transformations acting on the UV-coupling $\tau_{\text{UV}}$ as well as on the running coupling $\tau$. We establish that subgroups of the duality group act separately on $\tau_{\text{UV}}$ and $\tau$, while a larger group acts simultaneously on $\tau_{\text{UV}}$ and $\tau$. For special choices of the masses, we find that the duality groups can be identified with congruence subgroups of $\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)$. We demonstrate that in such cases, the order parameters are instances of bimodular forms with arguments $\tau$ and $\tau_{\text{UV}}$. Since the UV duality group of the theory contains the triality group of outer automorphisms of the flavour symmetry $\text{SO}(8)$, the duality action gives rise to an orbit of mass configurations. Consequently, the corresponding order parameters combine to vector-valued bimodular forms with $\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)$ acting simultaneously on the two couplings.Comment: 29 pages + Appendices, 7 figures, v2: minor changes, updated Appendix

Cutting and gluing with running couplings in 𝒩=2 QCD

We consider the order parameter u=\left as function of the running coupling constant $\tau \in \mathbb{H}$ of asymptotically free $\mathcal{N}=2$ QCD with gauge group $SU(2)$ and $N_f\leq 3$ massive hypermultiplets. If the domain for $\tau$ is restricted to an appropriate fundamental domain $\mathcal{F}_{N_f}$, the function $u$ is one-to-one. We demonstrate that these domains consist of six or less images of an ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{Z})$ keyhole fundamental domain, with appropriate identifications of the boundaries. For special choices of the masses, $u$ does not give rise to branch points and cuts, such that $u$ is a modular function for a congruence subgroup $\Gamma$ of ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{Z})$ and the fundamental domain is $\Gamma\backslash\mathbb{H}$. For generic masses, however, branch points and cuts are present, and subsets of $\mathcal{F}_{N_f}$ are being cut and glued upon varying the mass. We study this mechanism for various phenomena, such as decoupling of hypermultiplets, merging of local singularities, as well as merging of non-local singularities which give rise to superconformal Argyres-Douglas theories.Comment: 56 pages + Appendices, 22 figure

Topological twists of massive SQCD, Part I

We consider topological twists of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric QCD with gauge group SU(2) and $N_f\leq 3$ fundamental hypermultiplets. The twists are labelled by a choice of background fluxes for the flavour group, which provides an infinite family of topological partition functions. In this Part I, we demonstrate that in the presence of such fluxes the theories can be formulated for arbitrary gauge bundles on a compact four-manifold. Moreover, we consider arbitrary masses for the hypermultiplets, which introduce new intricacies for the evaluation of the low-energy path integral on the Coulomb branch. We develop techniques for the evaluation of these path integrals. In the forthcoming Part II, we will deal with the explicit evaluation.Comment: 41 pages + appendices, 8 figures. First part of a series of two papers, second part available at arXiv:2312.1161