Infinite-dimensional Frobenius manifolds underlying an extension of the dispersionless Kadomtsev-Petviashvili hierarchy (Q2223744)

Frobenius manifolds were introduced by \textit{B. Dubrovin} [Lect. Notes Math. 1620, 120--348 (1996; Zbl 0841.58065)] as a way to geometrically interpret solutions of the WDVV equation in topological string theory. Recall that a \textit{Frobenius algebra} is a unital associative algebra equipped with a non-degenerate bilinear form \(\eta\) such that \(\eta(a \bullet b, c)= \eta(a, b\bullet c)\), where \(\bullet\) denotes the associative product. A \textit{Frobenius manifold} \(M\) is a manifold equipped with the structure of a Frobenius algebra on each of its tangent spaces along with an Euler vector field \(E\) (which generates homotheties), all satisfying certain integrability conditions. The integrability conditions imply the existence of a local potential that satisfies the WDVV equation. In particular, the non-degenerate bilinear form \(\eta\) gives a flat metric on \(M\). In fact, \textit{any} constant linear combination of \(\eta\) and \(\eta(E, \cdot \bullet \cdot)\) is a flat metric. This observation was used by Dubrovin to show that there is a Frobenius manifold structure on the space of initial conditions of a \textit{dispersionless integrable hierarchy with bi-Hamiltonian structure of hydrodynamic type} in \(1+1\) dimensions, a notion that \textit{B. A. Dubrovin} himself had previously introduced together with \textit{S. P. Novikov} [Sov. Math., Dokl. 30, 651--654 (1984; Zbl 0591.58012); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 279, 294--297 (1984)]. In \(2+1\) dimensions, the space of initial conditions of such an integrable hierarchy is infinite-dimensional. So, the associated Frobenius manifold should be expected to be infinite-dimensional. The first result along these lines was due to \textit{G. Carlet} et al. [Math. Ann. 349, No. 1, 75--115 (2011; Zbl 1208.53090)]. They constructed a Frobenius manifold structure on a subspace in the space of pairs of meromorphic functions, one with a simple pole at \(\infty\) and the other with a simple pole at 0. The integrable hierarchy associated to the resulting infinite-dimensional Frobenius manifold is an extension of the dispersionless Toda hierarchy in \(2+1\) dimensions. Using a different method, \textit{A. Raimondo} [Commun. Math. Phys. 311, No. 3, 557--594 (2012; Zbl 1243.35039)] proposed an infinite-dimensional Frobenius manifold associated to the dispersionless Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) hierarchy. Yet another method was introduced by \textit{B. M. Szablikowski} [J. Phys. A, Math. Theor. 48, No. 31, Article ID 315203, 47 p. (2015; Zbl 1334.37082)] to construct Frobenius manifolds associated to a number of models including the dispersionless KP hierarchy. However, the question of whether there exists a construction along the lines of Carlet-Dubrovin-Mertens for the dispersionless KP hierarchy remained open. This paper addresses the above open question. The main result is that there is an infinite-dimensional Frobenius manifold structure on the space of pairs of meromorphic functions, one with a pole at infinity and the other with a movable pole in a certain open set. Furthermore, the associated integrable hierarchy is a certain extension of the dispersionless KP hierarchy called the universal Whitham hierarchy.