The motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants of \((-2)\)-curves (Q2399257)

For $d\ge 1$ let $X_d$ be the following Gorenstein threefold singularity: \[ X_d:=\text{Spec} (\mathbb{C})[x,y,z,w]/ (x^2 +y^2 +(z+w^d)(z-w^d)). \] Let $Y_d$ be the resolution of singularities obtained by blowing up the curve $0=x=z+w^d$. The exceptional curve $C_d\cong \mathbb P^1$ has normal bundle $\mathcal O(-1)\oplus \mathcal O(-1)$ and width $d$ (in the sense of Reid). \par The paper under review computes the motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants (in the sense of Kontsevich-Soibelman) defined by means of the derived category of compactly supported coherent sheaves on $Y_d$. They depend on orientation data and take values in the ring $K^{\hat \mu}(\text{Var} / \text{Spec}(\mathbb C))[\mathbb L^{-1/2}]$, where $K^{\hat \mu}(\text{Var} / \text{Spec}(\mathbb C))$ is the Grothendieck ring of $\hat \mu$-equivariant varieties. Consider the pair $(n,m)$ associated to the cohomology class $(n-m)[C_d]+m[\text{pt}]$. Then the motivic DT invariants corresponding to the pair $(n,m)$ are given by \[ \begin{cases} \mathbb L^{-1/2}(1-[\mu_{d+1}]) & \text{ if } (n,m)=(n,n+1) \text{ or } (n+1,n) \\ \mathbb P^1\cdot \mathbb L^{3/2} & \text{ if } (n,m)=(n,n). \end{cases} \] Here, $\mu_{d+1}$ is considered as a $\mu_{d+1}$-equivariant variety in the natural way. So this calculation has produced an example of motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants with nontrivial monodromy action.