Galois covers of N=2 BPS spectra and quantum monodromy

BPS spectra C-category Dessin d'enfant N=2SYM Quantum monodromy Slodowy Generalized Intersection Matrix (GIM) Lie algebra SU(2)QCD triangular functor, quiver, Galois cover

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Galois correspondences, closure operators (in relation to ordered sets) (06A15) Galois theory (11R32) Representations of quivers and partially ordered sets (16G20) Applications of Lie (super)algebras to physics, etc. (17B81) Categories in geometry and topology (18F99) Finite-dimensional groups and algebras motivated by physics and their representations (81R05) Yang-Mills and other gauge theories in quantum field theory (81T13) Supersymmetric field theories in quantum mechanics (81T60) Strong interaction, including quantum chromodynamics (81V05)

Abstract: The BPS spectrum of many 4d N=2 theories may be seen as the (categorical) Galois cover of the BPS spectrum of a different 4d N=2 model. The Galois group G acts as a physical symmetry of the covering N=2 model. The simplest instance is SU(2) SQCD with N_f=2 quarks, whose BPS spectrum is a Z_2-cover of the BPS spectrum of pure SYM. More generally, N=2 SYM with simply--laced gauge group admits Z_k-covers for all k; e.g. the Z_2-cover of SO(8) SYM is SO(8) SYM coupled to two copies of the E_6 Minahan-Nemeshanski SCFT. Galois covers simplify considerably the computation of the BPS spectrum at G-symmetric points, in both finite and infinite chambers. When the covering and quotient QFTs admit a geometric engineering, say for class S models, the categorical spectral cover may be realized as a covering map in the geometry. A particularly nice instance is when the spectral Galois cover is induced by a modular cover of principal modular curves, X(NM)-> X(M), or, more generally, by regular Grothendieck's dessins d'enfants; the BPS spectra of the corresponding N=2 QFTs have magic properties. The Galois covers allow to study effectively the action of the quantum (half)monodromy of 4d N=2 QFTs. We present several examples and applications of the spectral covering philosophy.

Review text

Seeing \(N=2\) SQCD with \(N_c=N_f=2\) and its \(N_f=0\) cousin class \(\mathcal{S}[A_1]\) modes [\textit{D. Gaiotto}, ``\(N=2\) dualities, Preprint, \url{arXiv: 0904.2715}], explained in \S2.3.), defined by quadratic differentials \(\phi^{N_f}_2\) on the sphere, and set \(\phi~{(2)}_2=\xi^\ast\phi^{(0)}_2\), \(\xi:\mathbb{P}^2\to \mathbb{P}^1\) is a double cover, we can regard \(N=2\) SQCD with gauge group \(SU(2)\) and two flavors as a double cover of the BPS spectrum of pure SYM. Alternatively, to associate the unique \(\mathbb{C}\)-category \(\mathcal{C}^{(2)}\) on four objects to SQCD with \(N_c=N_f=2\), and \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) acts on \(\mathcal{C}^{(2)}\) such that \(\mathcal{C}^{(0)}=\mathcal{C}^{(2)}/\mathbb{Z}_2\) coincides with linear category for pure \(SU(2)\) SYM, above arguments transfered Galois theory regarding \(\mathcal{C}^{(2)}\) as the Galois cover of \(\mathcal{C}^{(0)}\) with Galois group \(\mathbb{Z}_2\). This was used in [\textit{D. Gaiotto} et al., Commun. Math. Phys. 299, No. 1, 163--224 (2010; Zbl 1225.81135); Adv. Math. 234, 239--403 (2013; Zbl 1358.81150)], to derive wall crossing formula. The purpose of this paper is to make precise the notion of a \(N=2\) QFT having a BPS spectrum which is a Galois cover of the BPS spectrum of another \(N=2\) theory. In \S2, after reviewing BPS states, representation theory, and pure \(SU(2)\) SYM, Jacobian algebra \(\mathcal{J}=\mathbb{C}Q/(\partial W)\), \(Q\) a 2-acyclic quiver with superpotential \(W\) and triangular functor are defined. Then Slodowy-GIM (Generalized Intersection Matrix) algebra and class \(\mathcal{S}[A_1]\) algebras are are introduced. \S2 is concluded to explain Galois covers of (locally) bounded \(\mathbb{C}\)-categories. When \(\Sigma\) is a surface with punctures and marks boundaries, \(Q\) the quiver of an ideal triangulation of \(\Sigma\) [\textit{S. Fomin} et al., Acta Math. 201, No. 1, 83--146 (2008; Zbl 1263.13023)], then there are two fundamental groups \(\Pi(\mathcal{J})\) derived from the Galois cover of \(\mathbb{C}\)-category and \(\pi_1(\Sigma)\). Example in \S2.4.5 shows they might be different. \S3 studies \(\mathbb{Z}_k\) covers of \(SU(2)\)SQCD and pure SYM, with brief discussion on Abelian Galois covers of class \(\mathcal{S}[A_1]\) models. \S4 assuming \(\Sigma_G\); corresponding cover of \(\Sigma\), is defined on the algebraic closure \(\mathbb{Q}^{\mathrm{al}}\) of \(\mathbb{Q}\), that is a Belyi function \(\xi\) exists on \(\Sigma_G\) [\textit{G. V. Belyĭ}, Math. USSR, Izv. 14, 247--256 (1980; Zbl 0429.12004)], non-abelian covers are studied applying Grothendieck's dessin d'enfants [\textit{P. B. Cohen} et al., Commun. Math. Phys. 163, No. 3, 605--627 (1994; Zbl 0811.14030)]. In this case, a dessin \(D\) is given by \(\xi^{-1}([0,1])\). It defines a canonical triangulation \(T_{\mathrm{can}}(D)\) of \(\Sigma_G\), and show all dessin d'enfant class \(\mathcal{S}[A_1] N=2\) model has a chamber whose BPS spectrum consists of \(2d\) copies of the \(A_3\) Argyres-Douglas spectrum, where \(d\) is the degree of the associated Belyi function (\S4.5. \textbf{Fact}). The authors say their purpose of BPS spectral covers is to prove the wall crossing formula [\textit{M. Kontsevich} and \textit{Y. Soibelman}, ``Stability structures, motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants and cluster tranformations, Preprint, \url{arXiv:0811.2436}], which is essentially same as computing the action of the classical limit of the quantum monodromy \(\mathbb{M}(q)\) on the quantum torus algebra \(\mathbb{T}_Q(q)\) [\textit{S. Cecotti} et al., ``\(R\)-twisting and \(4d/2d\) correspondence, Preprint, \url{arXiv:1006.3435}]. This is explained in \S5 discusisng relation between Galois cover and quantum monodromy. The authors stress expression of the quantum monodromy as a product of quantum dilogarithm [\textit{L. D. Faddeev} and \textit{R. M. Kashaev}, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 9, No. 5, 427--434 (1994; Zbl 0866.17010)]. cf.(5.6),(5.7))) holds in the generic case. Otherwise one should work with the quantum KS formula in its more general form, which are necessary to study several physical problems . One should be careful in stating the physical interpretation of the straightforward mathematical results. \S6, the last Section, illustrates the Galois cover of BPS spectra in the context of the class \(\mathcal{S}[A_1]\) theories [Gaiotto et al., loc. cit.] defined by a meromorphic quadratic differential \(\phi_2\) over a genus one curve \(E\), and describe their relations with the root systems of the extended affine (GIM) Lie algebras. Additional examples, technical part in the the proof of some facts in body, and reviews of specific math tools are given in the appendices.

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