14 research outputs found
On the curvature of vortex moduli spaces
We use algebraic topology to investigate local curvature properties of the
moduli spaces of gauged vortices on a closed Riemann surface. After computing
the homotopy type of the universal cover of the moduli spaces (which are
symmetric powers of the surface), we prove that, for genus g>1, the holomorphic
bisectional curvature of the vortex metrics cannot always be nonnegative in the
multivortex case, and this property extends to all Kaehler metrics on certain
symmetric powers. Our result rules out an established and natural conjecture on
the geometry of the moduli spaces.Comment: 25 pages; final version, to appear in Math.
A Schwarz lemma for K\"ahler affine metrics and the canonical potential of a proper convex cone
This is an account of some aspects of the geometry of K\"ahler affine metrics
based on considering them as smooth metric measure spaces and applying the
comparison geometry of Bakry-Emery Ricci tensors. Such techniques yield a
version for K\"ahler affine metrics of Yau's Schwarz lemma for volume forms. By
a theorem of Cheng and Yau there is a canonical K\"ahler affine Einstein metric
on a proper convex domain, and the Schwarz lemma gives a direct proof of its
uniqueness up to homothety. The potential for this metric is a function
canonically associated to the cone, characterized by the property that its
level sets are hyperbolic affine spheres foliating the cone. It is shown that
for an -dimensional cone a rescaling of the canonical potential is an
-normal barrier function in the sense of interior point methods for conic
programming. It is explained also how to construct from the canonical potential
Monge-Amp\`ere metrics of both Riemannian and Lorentzian signatures, and a mean
curvature zero conical Lagrangian submanifold of the flat para-K\"ahler space.Comment: Minor corrections. References adde
Wall-Crossing in Coupled 2d-4d Systems
We introduce a new wall-crossing formula which combines and generalizes the
Cecotti-Vafa and Kontsevich-Soibelman formulas for supersymmetric 2d and 4d
systems respectively. This 2d-4d wall-crossing formula governs the
wall-crossing of BPS states in an N=2 supersymmetric 4d gauge theory coupled to
a supersymmetric surface defect. When the theory and defect are compactified on
a circle, we get a 3d theory with a supersymmetric line operator, corresponding
to a hyperholomorphic connection on a vector bundle over a hyperkahler space.
The 2d-4d wall-crossing formula can be interpreted as a smoothness condition
for this hyperholomorphic connection. We explain how the 2d-4d BPS spectrum can
be determined for 4d theories of class S, that is, for those theories obtained
by compactifying the six-dimensional (0,2) theory with a partial topological
twist on a punctured Riemann surface C. For such theories there are canonical
surface defects. We illustrate with several examples in the case of A_1
theories of class S. Finally, we indicate how our results can be used to
produce solutions to the A_1 Hitchin equations on the Riemann surface C.Comment: 170 pages, 45 figure