Macdonald operators and homological invariants of the colored Hopf link

Using a power sum (boson) realization for the Macdonald operators, we investigate the Gukov, Iqbal, Kozcaz and Vafa (GIKV) proposal for the homological invariants of the colored Hopf link, which include Khovanov-Rozansky homology as a special case. We prove the polynomiality of the invariants obtained by GIKV's proposal for arbitrary representations. We derive a closed formula of the invariants of the colored Hopf link for antisymmetric representations. We argue that a little amendment of GIKV's proposal is required to make all the coefficients of the polynomial non-negative integers.Comment: 31 pages. Published version with an additional appendi

The MacMahon R-matrix

We introduce an $R$-matrix acting on the tensor product of MacMahon representations of Ding-Iohara-Miki (DIM) algebra $U_{q,t}(\widehat{\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}}_1)$. This $R$-matrix acts on pairs of $3d$ Young diagrams and retains the nice symmetry of the DIM algebra under the permutation of three deformation parameters $q$, $t^{-1}$ and $\frac{t}{q}$. We construct the intertwining operator for a tensor product of the horizontal Fock representation and the vertical MacMahon representation and show that the intertwiners are permuted using the MacMahon $R$-matrix.Comment: 39 page

Shiraishi functor and non-Kerov deformation of Macdonald polynomials

We suggest a further generalization of the hypergeometric-like series due to M. Noumi and J. Shiraishi by substituting the Pochhammer symbol with a nearly arbitrary function. Moreover, this generalization is valid for the entire Shiraishi series, not only for its Noumi-Shiraishi part. The theta function needed in the recently suggested description of the double-elliptic systems, 6d N=2* SYM instanton calculus and the doubly-compactified network models, is a very particular member of this huge family. The series depends on two kinds of variables, $\vec x$ and $\vec y$, and on a set of parameters, which becomes infinitely large now. Still, one of the parameters, $p$ is distinguished by its role in the series grading. When $\vec y$ are restricted to a discrete subset labeled by Young diagrams, the series multiplied by a monomial factor reduces to a polynomial at any given order in $p$. All this makes the map from functions to the hypergeometric-like series very promising, and we call it Shiraishi functor despite it remains to be seen, what are exactly the morphisms that it preserves. Generalized Noumi-Shiraishi (GNS) symmetric polynomials inspired by the Shiraishi functor in the leading order in $p$ can be obtained by a triangular transform from the Schur polynomials and possess an interesting grading. They provide a family of deformations of Macdonald polynomials, as rich as the family of Kerov functions, still very different from them, and, in fact, much closer to the Macdonald polynomials. In particular, unlike the Kerov case, these polynomials do not depend on the ordering of Young diagrams in the triangular expansion.Comment: 17 page

Selberg Integral and SU(N) AGT Conjecture

An intriguing coincidence between the partition function of super Yang-Mills theory and correlation functions of 2d Toda system has been heavily studied recently. While the partition function of gauge theory was explored by Nekrasov, the correlation functions of Toda equation have not been completely understood. In this paper, we study the latter in the form of Dotsenko-Fateev integral and reduce it in the form of Selberg integral of several Jack polynomials. We conjecture a formula for such Selberg average which satisfies some consistency conditions and show that it reproduces the SU(N) version of AGT conjecture.Comment: 35 pages, 5 figures; v2: minor modifications; v3: typos corrected, references adde

A & B model approaches to surface operators and Toda theories

It has recently been argued by Alday et al that the inclusion of surface operators in 4d N=2 SU(2) quiver gauge theories should correspond to insertions of certain degenerate operators in the dual Liouville theory. So far only the insertion of a single surface operator has been treated (in a semi-classical limit). In this paper we study and generalise this proposal. Our approach relies on the use of topological string theory techniques. On the B-model side we show that the effects of multiple surface operator insertions in 4d N=2 gauge theories can be calculated using the B-model topological recursion method, valid beyond the semi-classical limit. On the mirror A-model side we find by explicit computations that the 5d lift of the SU(N) gauge theory partition function in the presence of (one or many) surface operators is equal to an A-model topological string partition function with the insertion of (one or many) toric branes. This is in agreement with an earlier proposal by Gukov. Our A-model results were motivated by and agree with what one obtains by combining the AGT conjecture with the dual interpretation in terms of degenerate operators. The topological string theory approach also opens up new possibilities in the study of 2d Toda field theories.Comment: 43 pages. v2: Added references, including a reference to unpublished work by S.Gukov; minor changes and clarifications

Instanton counting, Macdonald function and the moduli space of D-branes

We argue the connection of Nekrasov's partition function in the \Omega background and the moduli space of D-branes, suggested by the idea of geometric engineering and Gopakumar-Vafa invariants. In the instanton expansion of N=2 SU(2) Yang-Mills theory the Nakrasov's partition function with equivariant parameters \epsilon_1, \epsilon_2 of toric action on C^2 factorizes correctly as the character of SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R spin representation. We show that up to two instantons the spin contents are consistent with the Lefschetz action on the moduli space of D2-branes on (local) F_0. We also present an attempt at constructing a refined topological vertex in terms of the Macdonald function. The refined topological vertex with two parameters of T^2 action allows us to obtain the generating functions of equivariant \chi_y and elliptic genera of the Hilbert scheme of n points on C^2 by the method of topological vertex.Comment: 33 pages, 2 figures, (v2) minor changes, references added, (v3) Comments and more references adde