Calabi-Yau operators of degree two (Q6185346)

Let \(L\) be a general \(N\)-th order differential operator of the \(\theta\)-form: \(L=P_0(\theta)+xP_1(\theta)+\cdots+x^rP_r(\theta)\) with \(\theta=x\frac{d}{dx}\) where \(P_i\) are polynomials of degree \(N\). The largest \(r\) is called the degree of \(L\). The differential equation \(L\phi=0\), \(\phi(x)=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a)nx^n\) yields the recursive relation \(P_0(n)a_n+P_1(n-1)a_{n-1}+\cdots+P_r(n-r)a_{n-r}=0\) on the coefficients \(a_n\) of \(\phi(x)\). The roots of \(P_0(\theta)\) are the exponents of \(L\) at \(0\). The Riemann symbol is defined as a table containing for each singular point the corresponding exponents. The paper under review assumes that \(N=4\) and that all exponents at \(0\) vanish, so \(P_0(\theta)=\theta^4\). In this situation, there is a canonical Frobenius basis of solution \(\phi_0, \phi_1,\phi_2,\phi_3\) where \(\phi_k\) contains terms with \(\mbox{log}^k(x)\), and that the monodromy has \(0\) as a point of MUM (maximal unipotent monodromy). The paper focuses on Calabi-Yau operators of order \(4\) and od degree \(2\). A fourth order equation \[ y''''+a_3 y'''+a_2 y''+a_1 y'+a_0 y=0 \] satisfying Calabi-Yau condition \(Q:=\frac{1}{2}a_2a_3-a_1-\frac{1}{8}a_3^3+a_2'-\frac{3}{4}a_3(a_3)'-\frac{1}{2}a_3''=0\) are called a Calabi-Yau operator. In particular, a closer attention is paid for differential operators of the form \(\theta^4+x(a\theta^4+b\theta^3+c\theta^2+d\theta+e)\) \(+fx^2(\theta+\alpha)(\theta+\beta)(\theta+\gamma)(\theta+\delta)\), which is of degree \(2\) in \(x\). For this operator, \(Q\) is a rational function with \(x^2(1+ax+fx^2)^3\) as denominatori, and the numerator is a degree \(5\) polynomial of the form \(Q_0+Q_1x+Q_2x^2+Q_3x^3+Q_4x^4+Q_5x^5\). The Calabi-Yau condition is equivalent to \(Q_i=0\) for \(i=0,1,\cdots, 5\). This defines an affine algebraic set \(X=V(Q_0,Q_1,\cdots, Q_5)\subset \mathbf{C}^{10}\). Theorem 1. The algebraic set \(X\) defined by \(Q=0\) is the union of ten irreduicble components, of which there are seven with \(f\neq 0\). Proof is purely computational. Only two of the components admit arithmetically interesting operators. In the similar way, the third-order operator of the form \(\theta^3+x(a\theta^3+b\theta^2+c\theta+d)+fx^2(\theta+\alpha)(\theta+\beta)(\theta+\gamma)\) Calabi-Yau condition leads to an algebraic set \(Y\subset\mathbf{C}^8\) defined by polynomials \(W_i=0\) for \(i=0,1,\cdots, 5\). Theorem 2: The algebraic set \(Y\subset\mathbf{C}^8\) defined by the condition \(W=0\) is the union of ten irreducible components, of which there are seven with \(f\neq 0\). Currently, there are more than 500 Calabi-Yau operators. The paper presents 69 interesting operators of order 4 and of degree \(2\) with associated Riemann symbols. Results are given by tables.