The Hurwitz enumeration problem of branched covers and Hodge integrals (Q1781417)

The Hurwitz enumeration problem asks for the automorphism weighted count of topologically distinct degree \(d\) ramified covers of a genus \(g\) Riemann surface by a genus \(h\) Riemann surface with prescribed profiles over the ramification points. For instance, in the ``almost simple'' case, one requires that all branch points be simple with possibly one exception whose branching type is determined by a partition of the degree (when no ramification occurs we obtain the simple Hurwitz numbers). The authors of the current paper use the general formulas for Hurwitz numbers obtained by \textit{A. D. Mednykh} [Sib. Math. J. 25, No.4, 606--625 (1984; Zbl 0598.30058)]. An explicit formula for the generating function of simple Hurwitz numbers is then obtained (see claim 3.2) and discussed in the genus \(1\) case. The reader should be aware that there are more general formulas for the count of (disconnected) covers in terms of representation theory of the symmetric group. These are given for instance by \textit{R. H. Dijkgraaf} [in: The moduli space of curves. Proc. Conf. Texel Island, Netherlands 1994, Basel: Birkhäuser. Prog. Math. 129, 149--163 (1995; Zbl 0913.14007)]. The generating function in the current paper could in principle be obtained from these more general formulas. A modern approach to almost simple Hurwitz numbers involves the so-called Hodge integrals on the moduli space of stable curves \(\overline M_{g,n}\). This connection is obtained by means of the celebrated ESLV formula [\textit{T. Ekedahl, S. Lando, M. Shapiro, A. Vainshtein} Invent. Math. 146, No.~2, 297--327 (2001; Zbl 1073.14041)]. As a consequence, certain linear combinations of Hodge integrals are explicitly computed in section 4.3. The generating function of the one point Hodge integrals on \(\overline M_{g,1}\) was first computed in [\textit{C. Faber, R. Pandharipande}, Invent. Math. 139, No.~1, 173--199 (2000; Zbl 0960.14031)]. The paper under review considers the generating function of two point Hodge integrals on \(\overline M_{g,2}\) (section 4 contains the precise definitions). The authors compute the value of the generating function at the integral points and conjecture an analytic continuation for all values of the parameter. The reader should be aware that the later paper of \textit{A. Okounkov} and \textit{R. Pandharipande} [The equivariant Gromov-Witten theory of \(\mathbb P^1\), preprint, \texttt{http://arxiv.org/abs/math. AG/0207233}] fruitfully exploits the connection between the Hurwitz numbers and the ESLV formula. These authors obtain more general closed formulas for the generating function of Hodge integrals as ``vacuum expectation values'' of certain operators (see theorem 2 in their paper for a precise statement which addresses some of the issues raised in section 4.3 of the paper under review. See also proposition 10 for a computation of the 2 point Hodge integrals discussed in this review).