Self-dual Strings and 2D SYM

We study the system of M2-branes suspended between parallel M5-branes using ABJM model with a natural half-BPS boundary condition. For small separation between M5-branes, the worldvolume theory is shown to reduce to a 2D N=(4,4) super Yang-Mills theory with some similarity to q-deformed Yang-Mills theory. The gauge coupling is related to the position of the branes in an interesting manner. The theory is considerably different from the 2D theory proposed for multiple "M-strings". We make a detailed comparison of elliptic genus of the two descriptions and find only a partial agreement.Comment: 1+38 pages, minor modifications, references adde

Exact Partition Functions on RP2 and Orientifolds

We consider gauged linear sigma models (GLSM) on $\mathbb{RP}^2$, obtained from a parity projection of $S^2$. The theories admit squashing deformation, much like GLSM on $S^2$, which allows us to interpret the partition function as the overlap amplitude between the vacuum state and crosscap states. From these, we extract the central charge of Orientifold planes, and observe that the Gamma class makes a prominent appearance as in the recent D-brane counterpart. We also repeat the computation for the mirror Landau-Ginzburg theory, which naturally brings out the $\theta$-dependence as a relative sign between two holonomy sectors on $\mathbb{RP}^2$. We also show how our results are consistent with known topological properties of D-brane and Orientifold plane world-volumes, and discuss what part of the wrapped D-brane/Orientifold central charge should be attributed to the quantum volumes.Comment: 55 pages, 1 figure, published version: discussions on role of theta angle and on r-charge dependent normalization calrified; typos corrected; one reference adde

Monster Anatomy

We investigate the two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) of $c=\frac{47}{2}$, $c=\frac{116}{5}$ and $c=23$ `dual' to the critical Ising model, the three state Potts model and the tensor product of two Ising models, respectively. We argue that these CFTs exhibit moonshines for the double covering of the baby Monster group, $2\cdot \mathbb{B}$, the triple covering of the largest Fischer group, $3\cdot \text{Fi}_{24}'$ and multiple-covering of the second largest Conway group, $2\cdot 2^{1+22} \cdot \text{Co}_2$. Various twined characters are shown to satisfy generalized bilinear relations involving Mckay-Thompson series. We also rediscover that the `self-dual' two-dimensional bosonic conformal field theory of $c=12$ has the Conway group $\text{Co}_{0}\simeq2\cdot\text{Co}_1$ as an automorphism group.Comment: 23 pages, revised according to suggestions from JHEP refere

Supersymmetric vortex defects in two dimensions

We study codimension-two BPS defects in 2d N=(2,2) supersymmetric gauge theories, focusing especially on those characterized by vortex-like singularities in the dynamical or non-dynamical gauge field. We classify possible SUSY-preserving boundary conditions on charged matter fields around the vortex defects, and derive a formula for defect correlators on the squashed sphere. We also prove an equivalence relation between vortex defects and 0d-2d coupled systems. Our defect correlators are shown to be consistent with the mirror symmetry duality between Abelian gauged linear sigma models and Landau-Ginzburg models, as well as that between the minimal model and its orbifold. We also study the vortex defects inserted at conical singularities.Comment: 67 pages; v2: typos corrected, references added, v3: typos corrected, references added, a few statements clarified, a minor correction, version to appear in JHE

Modular Constraints on Superconformal Field Theories

We constrain the spectrum of $\mathcal{N}=(1, 1)$ and $\mathcal{N}=(2, 2)$ superconformal field theories in two-dimensions by requiring the NS-NS sector partition function to be invariant under the $\Gamma_\theta$ congruence subgroup of the full modular group $SL(2, \mathbb{Z})$. We employ semi-definite programming to find constraints on the allowed spectrum of operators with or without $U(1)$ charges. Especially, the upper bounds on the twist gap for the non-current primaries exhibit interesting peaks, kinks, and plateau. We identify a number of candidate rational (S)CFTs realized at the numerical boundaries and find that they are realized as the solutions to modular differential equations associated to $\Gamma_\theta$. Some of the candidate theories have been discussed by H\"ohn in the context of self-dual extremal vertex operator (super)algebra. We also obtain bounds for the charged operators and study their implications to the weak gravity conjecture in AdS$_3$.Comment: 50 pages, 16 figure