Classical GeometryClassical Geometryofof

Quantum Quantum Integrabi l i tyIntegrabi l i tyandand

Gauge TheoryGauge TheoryNikita Nekrasov

IHES

This is a work onexperimental

theoretical physics•

In collaboration with

Alexei Rosly(ITEP)

and

Samson Shatashvili(HMI and Trinity College Dublin)

Based on

NN, S.Shatashvili,arXiv:0901.4744, arXiv:0901.4748, arXiv: 0908.4052

NN, E.WittenarXiv:1002.0888

Earlier workG.Moore, NN, S.Shatashvili.,arXiv:hep-th/9712241;A.Gerasimov, S.Shatashvili.arXiv:0711.1472, arXiv:hep-th/0609024

Earlier work on instanton calculusA.Losev, NN, S.Shatashvili.,arXiv:hep-th/9711108, arXiv:hep-th/9911099;NN arXiv:hep-th/0206161;The papers ofN.Dorey, T.Hollowood , V.Khoze, M.Mattis,Earlier work on separated variables and D-branesA.Gorsky, NN, V.Roubtsov, arXiv:hep-th/9901089;

In the past few yearsa connection

between the followingtwo seemingly unrelated

subjectswas found

The supersymmetricgauge theories

(including exotics)With as little as 4 supersymmetries

on the one hand

Quantum integrablesystems

soluble by Bethe Ansatz

and

on the other hand

The more precise slogan is:The supersymmetric vacua of

the (finite volume) gauge theory

are the eigenstates of aquantum integrable system

The correspondenceThe supersymmetric vacua of

gauge theory

are the eigenstates of aquantum integrable system

The correspondenceThe supersymmetric vacua of

gauge theory

are the eigenstates of aquantum integrable system

OperatorsThe « twisted chiral ring » operators

O1, O2, O3, … , On

map to quantum Hamiltonians

Η1, Η2, Η3, … , Ηn

EigenvaluesThe vacuum expectation values ofthe twisted chiral ring operators

map to the energy and other eigenvalues on theintegrable side

For example,The Heisenberg spin

chain

Spin 1/2 SU(2) isotropicspin chain of length L

S3 = N-L/2 sector

N spins up

Maps to thed=2 U(N)

N=4 gauge theory with Lfundamental hypermultiplets

(with twisted masses)

The gauge groupG = U(N)

The globalsymmetry

H = U(L) X U(1)

N spins up, L-N spins down

There are generalizations forevery spin group,

every finite dimensionalrepresentation,Inhomogeneity,

Anisotropy (XXZ, XYZ)

The main ingredient of thecorrespondence:

The effective twistedsuperpotential of the gauge

theory=

The Yang-Yang function of thequantum integrable system

The effective twistedsuperpotential of the gauge

theory

The effective twisted superpotentialleads to the vacuum equations

1

The effective twistedsuperpotential

Is a multi-valued function on the Coulomb branch of the theory,

depends on the parameters of the theory

The Yang-Yang functionof the quantum integrable

system

The YY function was introducedby C.N.Yang and C.P.Yang in 1969

For the non-linear Schroedinger problem.

The miracle of Bethe ansatz:The spectrum of the quantum

system is described bya classical equation

1

Another example:a many-body system

Calogero-Moser-Sutherland system

The two-body potential

The elliptic Calogero-Mosersystem

N identical particles ona circle of radius β

subject to the two-body interactionelliptic potential

Quantummany-body systems

One is interested in the β-periodic symmetric,L2-normalizable wavefunctions

It is clear that one shouldget an

infinite discrete energy spectrum

β

Many-body systemvs

gauge theory

Theinfinite discrete spectrum

ofthe integrable many-body system

=The vacua of the N=2 d=2 theory

Many-body system:the guess for

the gauge theory

The vacua of the N=2 d=2 theory,Obtained by subjecting the N=2 d=4Theory to an Ω-background in R2

The four dimensional gaugetheory on Σ x R2,

viewed SO(2) equivariantly

The four dimensional gaugetheory on Σ x R2,

viewed SO(2) equivariantly,can be formally treated as aninfinite dimensional version of atwo dimensional gauge theory

1:56

The cohomological renormalizationgroup applied to the

four dimensional theory

Looks two dimensionalin the infrared:localization at

the « cosmic string »

The two dimensional theory

Has aneffective twistedSuperpotential!

The effective twisted superpotential

Can be computed from theN=2 d=4

Instanton partition function

The effective twisted superpotential

The effective twisted superpotentialhas one-loop perturbative

and all-order instanton corrections

In particular, for the N=2* theory(adjoint hypermultiplet with mass m)

N=2* theory

Bethe equationsFactorized S-matrix

This is the two-body scatteringIn hyperbolic Calogero-Sutherland

Bethe equationsFactorized S-matrix

Two-bodypotential

Bethe equationsFactorized S-matrix

Harish-Chandra, Gindikin-Karpelevich,Olshanetsky-Perelomov, Heckmann,

final result: Opdam

The full superpotentialof N=2* theory leads to the vacuum

equations

q = exp ( - Nβ )

Momentum phase shift

Two-body scattering The finite size corrections

Dictionary

Dictionary

Elliptic CM

systemN=2* theory

Dictionary

classicalElliptic

CMsystem

4d N=2* theory

Dictionary

classicalElliptic

CMsystem

4d N=2* theory

Dictionary

quantumElliptic

CMsystem

4d N=2*TheoryViewed SO(2)equivariantly

Dictionary

The (complexified)

systemSize β

The gaugecoupling τ

Dictionary

The Planck

constant

TheEquivariantparameter

ε

Dictionary

The correspondenceExtends to other integrable sytems:

Toda, relativistic Systems,Perhaps all 1+1 iQFTs

Plan

Now let us followThe quantization procedure

more closely,Starting on the gauge theory

side

In the mid-nineties of the 20century it was understood,

that

The geometry of the moduli space ofvacua of N=2 supersymmetric gaugetheory is identified with that of a base ofan algebraic integrable system

Donagi, WittenGorsky, Krichever, Marshakov, Mironov, Morozov

Liouville tori

The Base

The moduli spaceof

vacua of d=4 N=2 theory

Special coordinateson the moduli space

The Coulomb branchof the moduli space

of vacua of thed=4 N=2 supersymmetric

gauge theoryis the base

of a complex (algebraic)integrable system

The Coulomb branchof the same theory,

compactified on a circle downto three dimensions

is the phasespace of

the same integrable system

This moduli space is ahyperkahler manifold, and

it can arise both as a Coulombbranch of one susy gauge

theory and as a Higgs branchof another susy theory.

This is the 3d mirrorsymmetry.

In particular, one can startwith a

six dimensional (0,2)ADE

superconformal field theory,and compactify it on

Σ x S1

with the genus g Riemann surface Σ

The resulting effective susygauge theory in three

dimensions will have 8supercharges (with the

appropriate twist along Σ)

The resulting effective susygauge theory in three

dimensions will have theHitchin moduli space as the

moduli space of vacua.The gauge group in Hitchin’sequations will be the group of

the same A,D,E typeas in the definition of the (0,2)

theory.

The Hitchin moduli spaceis the Higgs branch of the

5d gauge theorycompactified on Σ

The mirror theory, for which theHitchin moduli space

is the Coulomb branch,is conjectured Gaiotto, in the A1 case,

to be the SU(2)3g-3

gauge theory in 4d,compactified on a circle,

with some matter hypermultiplets inthe

tri-fundamental and/or adjointrepresentations

One can allow the Riemann surfacewith n punctures,

with some local parametersassociated with the punctures.

The gauge group is then SU(2)3g-3+n

with matter hypermultiplets in thefundamental,

bi-fundamental,tri-fundamental representations,and, sometimes, in the adjoint.

For example,the SU(2) with Nf=4

Corresponds to the Riemann surface of genus zero with 4 punctures.The local data at the puncturesdetermines the masses

For example,the N=2* SU(2) theory

Corresponds to the Riemann surface of genus onewith 1 punctures.The local data at the puncturedetermines the mass of the adjoint

From now on we shall bediscussing these

« generalized quivertheories »

• The integrable system corresponding tothe moduli space of vacua of the 4dtheory is the SU(2) Hitchin system on

The punctured Riemann surface Σ

Hitchin system

Gauge theory on a Riemann surface

The gauge field Aµ and the twistedHiggsfield Φµ in the adjointrepresentation are required to obey:

Hitchin equations

Hitchin system

Modulo gauge transformations:

We get the moduli space MH

Hyperkahler structure of MH

• Three complex structures: I,J,K

• Three Kahler forms: ωI , ωJ , ωK

• Three holomorphic symplectic forms:ΩI , ΩJ , ΩK

Hyperkahler structure of MH

Three Kahler forms: ωI , ωJ , ωK

Three holomorphic symplectic forms:

ΩI = ωJ + i ωK,ΩJ = ωK + i ωI,ΩK = ωI + i ωJ

Hyperkahler structure of MH

A = A + i Φ

Hyperkahler structure

The linear combinations, parametrized by thepoints on a twistor two-sphere S2

a I + b J + c K, wherea2+b2+c2=1

The integrable structure

In the complex structure I,the holomorphic functions are: for each Beltrami

differential µ(i), i=3g-3+n

The integrable structure

These functions Poisson-commute w.r.t. ΩI

Hi, Hj = 0

The integrable structure

The generalization to other groups is known,e.g. for G=SU(N)

The integrable structureThe action-angle variables:

Fix the level of the integrals of motion,ie fix the values of all Hi’s

Equivalently:fix the (spectral)

curve C inside T*ΣDet( λ - Φz ) = 0

Its Jacobian is the Liouville torus, andThe periods of λdz give the special coordinates

ai, aDi

The quantum integrablestructure

The naïve quantization, using thatin the complex structure I

MH is almost = T*MWhere M=BunG

Φz becomes the derivativeHi become the differential operators.

More precisely, one gets the space of twisted (by K1/2M)

differential operators on M=BunG

Now turn on the Ω - deformationOf the Four dimensional gauge theory,

andconclude that the quantum Hitchin

systemIs governed by a Yang-Yang function,

The effective twisted superpotential

Here comes the experimentalfact

The effective twistedsuperpotential,

the YY function of the quantumHitchin system:indeed has a

classical mechanical meaning

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connectionsIn the complex structure J the

holomorphic variables are:

Aµ = Aµ + i Φµ

which obey (modulo complexified gauge transformations):

F= dA+ [A,A] = 0

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connectionsIn this complex structure MH

is defined without a reference to thecomplex structure of Σ

MH = Hom ( π1(Σ) , GC )/ GC

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connectionsHowever MH

Contains interesting complex Lagrangiansubmanifolds which do depend on the

complex structure of Σ

LΣ = the variety of G-opers

Beilinson, DrinfeldDrinfeld, Sokolov

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connections

Beilinson, DrinfeldDrinfeld, Sokolov

LΣ = the variety of G-opers

The Beltrami differentialµ is fixed, the projectivestructure T is arbitrary,provided

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connections

LΣ = the variety of G-opers

The Beltrami differential µ is fixed, the projective structure Tis arbitrary, provided it is compatible with the complexstructure defined by

MH as themoduli space of GC flat

connections

LΣ =

The Beltrami differential µ is fixed, the projective structure Tis arbitrary, provided it is compatible with the complexstructure defined by

i.e.

Opers on a sphereFor example, on a two-sphere with n punctures, theseconditions translate to the following definition of the spaceof opers with regular singularities: we are studying thespace of differential operators of second order, of the form

Opers on a sphereWhere Δi are fixed,

while the accessory parameters εi obey

Opers on a sphereAll in all we get a (n-3)-dimensional subvariety in the

2(n-3) dimensional moduli space of flat connections on then-punctured sphere with fixed conjugacy classes of the

monodromies around the punctures:

mi = Tr (gi)

The YY function is thegenerating function of

the variety of opers

The variety of opers isLagrangian with

respect to ΩJ

We shall now constructa system of Darbouxcoordinates on MH

αi, βi

ΩJ = Σi=13g-3+n dαi Λ dβi

So that

LΣ = the variety of G-opers,

is described by the equations

The moduli space is going to be covered by amultitude of Darboux coordinate charts, one per

every pants decomposition

Equivalently,a coordinate chart

UΓ per maximal degeneration

Γ of the complex structure on Σ

The maximal complex structure degenerations =The weakly coupled gauge theory descriptions of

Gaiotto theories, e.g. for the previous example

The αi coordinates are nothing but the logarithmsof the eigenvalues of the monodromies around

the blue cycles:

The βi coordinates are defined from the local datainvolving the cycle Ci and its

four neighboring cycles(or one, if the blue cycle belongs to a genus one

component) :

The local data involving the cycle Ci andits four neighboring cycles :

Ci

The local picture:four holes, two interesting holonomies

HolC ~ g2g1

HolCv ~ g3g2

Complexified hyperbolic geometry:

The coordinates αi ,βi can bethus explicitly expressed in terms of

the traces of the monodromies:

= Tr (HolC ~ g2g1 )

= Tr gi

B = Tr (HolCv ~ g3g2 )

The construction of the hyperbolic polygongeneralizes to the case of n punctures:

The construction of the hyperbolic polygongeneralizes to the case of n punctures:

The local data involving the cycle Ci on the genus one component

g1

g2

The theory

Why did the twisted superpotential turn into a generating function?Why did the variety of opers showed up?

What is the meaning of Bethe equations forquantum Hitchin in terms

of this classical symplectic geometry?Why did these hyperbolic coordinates

(which generalize the Fenchel-Nielsen coordinates onTeichmuller space and Goldman coordinates on the moduli

of SU(2) flat connections) become the special coordinates in thetwo dimensional N=2 gauge theory?

What is the relevance of the geometry of hyperbolic polygons forthe M5 brane theory?

For the three dimensional gravity?For the loop quantum gravity?

The theory

Why did the twisted superpotential turn into a generating function,and why did the variety of opers showed up?

This can be understood by viewing the 4d gauge theory as a 2dtheory with an infinite number of fields in two different ways

(NN+EW)

The theory

For the rest of the puzzles there is much to be said,Hopefully in the near future.

Thank you!