Large deviations of multichordal \(\mathrm{SLE}_{0+}\), real rational functions, and zeta-regularized determinants of Laplacians (Q6192279)

Summary: We prove a strong large deviation principle (LDP) for multiple chordal \(\mathrm{SLE}_{0+}\) curves with respect to the Hausdorff metric. In the single-chord case, this result strengthens an earlier partial result by the second author. We also introduce a Loewner potential, which in the smooth case has a simple expression in terms of zeta-regularized determinants of Laplacians. This potential differs from the LDP rate function by an additive constant depending only on the boundary data, which satisfies PDEs arising as a semiclassical limit of the Belavin-Polyakov-Zamolodchikov equations of level 2 in conformal field theory with central charge \(c\to -\infty\). Furthermore, we show that every multichord minimizing the potential in the upper half-plane for given boundary data is the real locus of a rational function and is unique, thus coinciding with the \(\kappa \to 0+\) limit of the multiple \(\mathrm{SLE}_{\kappa}\). As a by-product, we provide an analytic proof of the Shapiro conjecture in real enumerative geometry, first proved by Eremenko and Gabrielov: if all critical points of a rational function are real, then the function is real up to post-composition with a Möbius transformation.