Seiberg-Witten invariants and pseudo-holomorphic subvarieties for self-dual, harmonic 2-forms (Q1296213)

In this paper, C. Taubes proves that any 4-manifold with non-zero Seiberg-Witten invariant has pseudo-holomorphic curves with boundary on the zero set of any given self-dual harmonic 2-form. This result generalizes the main theorem of his papers in [J. Am. Math. Soc. 9, 845-918 (1996; Zbl 0867.53025] and [Proc. First IP Lecture Series Vol. 2, International Press, 1-97 (2000; Zbl 0967.57001)]. (The case of non-vanishing self-dual harmonic forms). In outline both theorems are proved by considering the large \(r\) limit of solutions to \(D_A\psi=0\) and \(F^+_A=rq(\psi)-ir/4 \omega\). The difference between the curvature of a solution to those equations and the curvature of a background connection forms a current which converges as \(r\) tends to infinity to a current with support the desired \(J\text{-holomorphic}\) curve. Since much of the proof of the present theorem overlaps with the proof from the symplectic case, the reader is frequently referred to the above cited articles. One difference from the symplectic case is a bound on \(|\psi|^2\) . This new bound depends on the distance to the zero locus of \(\omega\). A second difference is a bound on the curvature for points bounded away from the zero locus of \(\omega\). This paper suggests the existence of a pseudo-holomorphic curve counting interpretation of Seiberg-Witten invariants for general 4-manifolds.