Gauss-Manin connection in disguise: Dwork family (Q2073254)

This paper studies the moduli space \(T\) of the Calabi-Yau \(n\)-folds arising from the Dwork family. Let \(X_{\psi},\,\psi\in{\mathbb{P}}^1\setminus \{0,1,\infty\}\) be the family of \(n\)-dimensional Calabi-Yau varieties obtained by quotienting and desingularizing the Dwork family \[x_0^{n+2}+x_1^{n+2}+\cdots+x_{n+1}^{n+2}-(n+2)\psi x_0x_1\cdots x_{n+1}=0\] where \(x_0,x_1,\cdots, x_{n+1}\) are homogenous coordinates of \({\mathbb{P}}^{n+1}\). \(X_{\psi}\) is called a mirror Calabi-Yau variety. This article computes the moduli space \(T\) and its complete coordinate system. The main result of the paper is to construct a unique modular vector field \(R_n\) attached to \(X_{\psi}\) in \(T\) which contracted with the Gauss-Manin connection. \(R_n\) gives an upper triangular matrix with some non-constant entries which are natural generalizations of Yukawa couplings. For \(n=1,2\) an explicit expression of \(R_n\) is computed, and shown that it has solutions in terms of (quasi)-modular forms; for \(n=3\), the topological partition functions are rational functions in the coordinates of a solution of \(R_n\), and for \(n\geq 4\), one gets the \(q\)-expanson of its solution.