Hodge integrals and Gromov-Witten theory (Q1960758)

Let \(\overline{M}_{g,n}\) be the non-singular moduli stack of a genus \(g\), \(n\)-pointed Deligne-Mumford stable curve \(C\). For each marking \(i\) there is an associated cotangent bundle \(\mathbb L_i\rightarrow\overline {M}_{g,n}\) with fiber \(T^*_{C,p_i}\) over the moduli point \([C,p_1,\ldots,p_n]\). Write \(\psi_i\) for the first Chern class \(c_1(\mathbb L_i)\in H^*(\overline{M}_{g,n},\mathbb Q)\). For a curve \(C\) let \(\omega_C\) denote its dualizing sheaf. Then the Hodge bundle \(\mathbb E\rightarrow\overline{M}_{g,n}\) is the rank \(g\) vector bundle with fiber \(H^0(C,\omega_C)\) over \([C,p_1,\ldots,p_n]\). Let \(\lambda_j=c_j(\mathbb E)\). A Hodge integral over \(\overline {M}_{g,n}\) is defined to be an integral of products of the \(\psi\) and \(\lambda\) classes. Let \(X\) be a non-singular projective variety over \(\mathbb C\). Write \(\overline{M}=\overline{M}_{g,n}(X,\beta)\) for the moduli stack of stable maps to \(X\) representing the class \(\beta\in H_2(X,\mathbb Z)\). Let \([\overline{M}]^{\text{vir}}\in A_*(\overline{M})\) denote the virtual class (in the expected dimension). As a first result the following theorem (reconstruction theorem) is proven: Theorem 1: The set of Hodge integrals over moduli stacks of maps to \(X\) may be uniquely reconstructed from the set of descendent integrals of the form \[ \int_{[\overline{M}_{g,n}(X,\beta)]^{\text{vir}}}\prod_{i=1}^n\psi_i^{a_i}\cup e_i^*(\gamma_i)\cup\prod_{j=1}^g\lambda_j^{b_j}. \] The proof of this result relies on an interpretation of Mumford's calculation of Grothendieck-Riemann-Roch in Gromov-Witten theory. The main result of the paper can be formulated as follows: Theorem 2: Let \(F(t,k)\in{\mathbb Q}[k][[t]]\) be defined by \[ F(t,k)=1+\sum_{g\geq 1}\sum_{i=0}^gt^{2g}k^i\int_{\overline{M}_{g,1}}\psi_1^{2g-2+i}\lambda_{g-i}, \] then \(F(t,k)=\left({t/2\over\sin(t/2)}\right)^{k+1}.\) Let \(C(g,d)=\int_{[\overline{M}_{g,0}(\mathbb P^1,d)]^{\text{vir}}}c_{\text{top}}(R^1\pi_*\mu^*N)\) denote the contribution to the genus \(g\) Gromov-Witten invariant of a Calabi-Yau \(3\)-fold of multiple covers of a fixed rational curve with normal bundle \(N=\mathcal O(-1)\oplus\mathcal O(-1)\). One knows that \(C(0,d)=1/d^3\) and \(C(1,d)=1/12d\). Here the general case is calculated: Theorem 3: For \(g\geq 2\) one has \[ C(g,d)=|\chi(M_g)|\cdot{d^{2g-3}\over(2g-3)!}, \] where \(\chi(M_g)=B_{2g}/2g(2g-2)\) is the Harer-Zagier formula for the orbifold Euler characteristic of \(M_g\), and where \(B_{2g}\) is the \(2g\)-th Bernoulli number. Theorem 4: For \(g\geq 2\) one has \[ \int_{\overline{M}_g}\lambda^3_{g-1}={|B_{2g}|\over 2g}{|B_{2g-2}|\over 2g-2}{1\over(2g-2)!}. \] Several methods to obtain relations between Hodge integrals are discussed in some detail: (i) via virtual localization, (ii) via classical curve theory, first via the canonical system, second via Weierstraß loci. \noindent In the introduction the authors end with an interesting combinatorial conjecture relating Gromov-Witten theory to the intrinsic geometry of \(M_g\) via Hodge integrals. Let \(\mathcal R^*(M_g)\) be the ring of tautological Chow classes in \(M_g\). This ring is conjectured to be a Gorenstein ring with socle in degree \(g-2\). The top intersection pairings in \(\mathcal R^*(M_g)\) are determined by the Hodge integrals \(\int_{\overline{M}_{g,n}}\psi_1^{k_1}\ldots\psi_n^{k_n} \lambda_g\lambda_{g-1}\). It was conjectured by \textit{C. Faber} [in: Moduli of Curves and Abelian Varieties. The Dutch Intercity Seminar on Moduli, Aspects Math. E 33, 109-129 (1999; Zbl 0978.14029)] that \[ \int_{\overline{M}_{g,n}}\psi_1^{k_1}\ldots\psi_n^{k_n} \lambda_g\lambda_{g-1}={{(2g+n-3)!(2g-1)!!}\over{(2g-1)!\prod_{i=1}^n (2k_i-1)!!}}\int_{\overline{M}_{g,1}}\psi_1^{g-1}\lambda_g\lambda_{g-1}, \] where \(g\geq 2\) and \(k_i>0\). The conjecture has been shown to be implied by the so-called degree \(0\) Virasoro conjecture applied to \({\mathbb P}^2\) [cf. \textit{E. Getzler} and \textit{R. Pandharipande}, Nucl. Phys. B 530, No. 3, 701-714 (1998; Zbl 0957.14038)].