Geometric interpretation of Zhou's explicit formula for the Witten-Kontsevich tau function (Q2410938)

Let \(\overline{\mathcal M}_{g,n}\) be the moduli space of stable curves of genus \(g\) and with \(n\) marked pionts. The generating function (known as Witten-Kontsevich \(\tau\)-function) of the intersection numbers of the psi classes over \(\overline{\mathcal M}_{g,n}\) is defined by \[ Z(\mathbf{t}):=\exp\left(\sum_{g=0}^\infty\sum_{n=0}^\infty\sum_{k_1\geq0,\dots,k_n\geq 0}\frac{t_{k_1}\cdots t_{k_n}}{n!}\int_{\overline{\mathcal M}_{g,n}}\psi_1^{k_1}\cdots \psi_n^{k_n}\right). \] \textit{E. Witten} 's celebrated conjecture [in: Topological methods in modern mathematics. Proceedings of a symposium in honor of John Milnor's sixtieth birthday, held at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA, June 14-June 21, 1991. Houston, TX: Publish or Perish, Inc.. 235--269 (1993; Zbl 0812.14017)] says that \(u(\mathbf{t}):=\partial_{t_0} \log(Z(\mathbf t))\) satisfies the famous KdV hierarchy. This together with the String equation determines \(Z(\mathbf t)\) uniquely. The conjecture was first proved by \textit{M. Kontsevich} [Commun. Math. Phys. 147, No. 1, 1--23 (1992; Zbl 0756.35081)] and later other proofs were given by \textit{M. E. Kazarian} and \textit{S. K. Lando} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 20, No. 4, 1079--1089 (2007; Zbl 1155.14004)], \textit{A. Okounkov} and \textit{R. Pandharipande} [Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 80, 325--414 (2009; Zbl 1205.14072)], and \textit{M. Mirzakhani} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 20, No. 1, 1--23 (2007; Zbl 1120.32008)]. Kac-Schwarz characterized a point \(W^{WK}\) in Sato's infinite-dimensional Grassmannian corresponding to the Witten-Kontsevich \(\tau\)-function. One can reconstruct the \(\tau\)-function from the coordinates of the point \(W^{WK}\). Zhou has recently found an alternative formula for the Witten-Kontsevich \(\tau\)-function \[ Z(\mathbf t)=\sum_{\mu}A_\mu^{\text{Zhou}}\cdot s_\mu(\mathbf T), \] where the sum is over all the partitions and \(s_\mu(\mathbf T)\) is the Schur polynomial, and \[ t_k=(-1)^k\cdot \sqrt{-2}T_{2k+1}\prod_{j=0}^k(j+1/2). \] The coefficients \(A_\mu^{\text{Zhou}}\) are given by means of the determinant of certain matrices with explicitly defined entries \(A_{i,j}^{\text{Zhou}}\). The main result of the paper claims that the entries \(A_{i,j}^{\text{Zhou}}\) are the affine coordinates of the point \(W^{WK}\), and moreover, they satisfy several properties such as 2-step recursion relations, symmetries and a generating formula. As a by-product, a relation between these affine coordinates and the V-matrices associated with the \(R\)-matrix of Witten's 3-spin structure is obtained.