Real regular KP divisors on \({\texttt{M}}\)-curves and totally non-negative Grassmannians (Q2100094)

The aim of this paper is to complete the research started by the authors in [Commun. Math. Phys. 361, No. 3, 1029--1081 (2018; Zbl 1400.14094); Sel. Math., New Ser. 25, No. 3, Paper No. 43, 64 p. (2019; Zbl 1426.37052)], thus constructing an explicit map from the networks representing the soliton solutions to their spectral data, which fulfill the reality and regularity conditions in [\textit{B. A. Dubrovin} and \textit{S. M. Natanzon}, Math. USSR, Izv. 32, No. 2, 269--288 (1988; Zbl 0672.35072); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 52, No. 2, 267--286 (1988)]. The authors prove the invariance of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili II (KP-II) divisor and explain the effect of moves, reductions and amalgamation of networks on the spectral data. They construct an explicit map from planar bicolored (plabic) trivalent graphs representing a given irreducible positroid cell \(\mathcal{S}^{TNN}_\mathcal{M}\) in the totally non-negative Grassmannian \(\mathrm{Gr}^{TNN}(k,n)\) to the spectral data for the relevant class of real regular KP-II solutions. This completes the search of real algebraic-geometric data for the KP-II equation started in [the authors, loc. cit.]. The spectral curve is modeled on the Krichever construction for degenerate finite-gap solutions and is a rationally degenerate \(M\)-curve, \(\Gamma\), dual to the graph. The divisors are real regular KP-II divisors in the ovals of \(\Gamma\), i.e., they fulfill the conditions for selecting real regular finite-gap KP-II solutions. Since the soliton data are described by points in \(\mathcal{S}^{TNN}_\mathcal{M}\), the authors establish a bridge between real regular finite-gap KP-II solutions and real regular multi-line KP-II solitons which are known to be parametrized by points in \(\mathrm{Gr}^{TNN}(k,n)\) (see [\textit{S. Chakravarty} and \textit{Y. Kodama}, Stud. Appl. Math. 123, No. 1, 83--151 (2009; Zbl 1185.35219); \textit{Y. Kodama} and \textit{L. Williams}, Invent. Math. 198, No. 3, 637--699 (2014; Zbl 1306.35109)]). The authors use the geometric characterization of spaces of relations on plabic networks introduced by them in [Adv. Math. 406, Article ID 108523, 57 p. (2022; Zbl 1492.14087); ``Geometric nature of relations on plabic graphs and totally non-negative Grassmannians'', Int. Math. Res. Not. 2022, Article ID rnac162 (2022; \url{doi:10.1093/imrn/rnac162})] to prove the invariance of this construction with respect to the gauge freedom on the network. Such systems of relations were proposed in [\textit{D. Jerison} (ed.) et al., Current developments in mathematics 2014. Papers based on selected lectures given at the current development mathematics conference, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, November 2014. Somerville, MA: International Press (2016; Zbl 1333.00051)] for the computation of scattering amplitudes for on-shell diagrams \(N=4\) SYM in [\textit{N. Arkani-Hamed} et al., Grassmannian geometry of scattering amplitudes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2016; Zbl 1365.81004)] and govern the totally non-negative amalgamation of the little positive Grassmannians, \(\mathrm{Gr}^{TP}(1,3)\) and \(\mathrm{Gr}^{TP}(2,3)\), into any given positroid cell \(\mathcal{S}^{TNN}_\mathcal{M}\subset \mathrm{Gr}^{TNN}(k,n)\). In their setting they control the reality and regularity properties of the KP-II divisor. Finally, the authors explain the transformation of both the curve and the divisor both under Postnikov's moves and reductions and under amalgamation of positroid cells, and apply their construction to some examples. This paper is divided into three parts and is organized as follows: Part 1 deals with the construction of the spectral curve and the divisor. In this part the authors associate to a plabic network the corresponding algebro-geometric KP-II data, namely a reducible rational M-curve and a divisor on it, satisfying the reality and regularity conditions. They prove that any graph representing the KP-II soliton data is dual to a spectral curve which is the rational degeneration of a smooth M-curve, they explicitly construct real regular spectral data (wave function and divisor) in agreement with the prediction in [\textit{B. A. Dubrovin} and \textit{S. M. Natanzon}, loc. cit.], and they prove the invariance of the KP-II divisor with respect to the gauge freedom of the associated network. Part 2 is devoted to transformation properties of the divisor. Here the authors discuss the transformations of divisors when they apply elementary transformations to the network. They consider two basic types of transformations. Moves and reductions change the networks, but they do not affect the corresponding KP-II solutions. In contrast, amalgamations change both the soliton solutions and the divisor. The authors explain the transformation of these algebraic-geometric data both with respect to Postnikov's moves and reductions, and with respect to amalgamations of totally non-negative Grassmannians, thus establishing the first step towards a purely cluster algebraic approach to the problem. Part 3 deals with singularities of divisors. In this part the authors formulate some open problems and, in particular, they discuss the possible singularities of the divisors.