Past Algebraic and Symplectic Geometry Seminar

I will explain recent results with Emanuele Macrì, in which we systematically study the birational geometry of moduli of sheaves on K3's via wall-crossing for

Bridgeland stability conditions. In particular, we obtain descriptions of their nef cones via the Mukai lattice of the K3, their moveable cones, their divisorial contractions, and obtain counter-examples to various conjectures in the literature. We also give a proof of the Lagrangian fibration conjecture (due to

Hassett-Tschinkel/Huybrechts/Sawon) via wall-crossing.

Counting nodal curves in linear systems $|L|$ on smooth projective surfaces $S$ is a problem with a long history. The G\"ottsche conjecture, now proved by several people, states that these counts are universal and only depend on $c_1(L)^2$, $c_1(L)\cdot c_1(S)$, $c_1(S)^2$ and $c_2(S)$. We present a quite general definition of reduced Gromov-Witten and stable pair invariants on S. The reduced stable pair theory is entirely computable. Moreover, we prove that certain reduced Gromov-Witten and stable pair invariants with many point insertions coincide and are both equal to the nodal curve counts appearing in the Göttsche conjecture. This can be seen as version of the MNOP conjecture for the canonical bundle $K_S$. This is joint work with R. P. Thomas.

The "de Rham-Witt complex" of Deligne and Illusie is a functorial complex of sheaves $W^*(X)$ on a smooth algebraic variety $X$ over a finite field, computing the cristalline cohomology of $X$. I am going to present a non-commutative generalization of this: even for a non-commutative ring $A$, one can define a functorial "Hochschild-Witt complex" with homology $WHH^*(A)$; if $A$ is commutative, then $WHH^i(A)=W^i(X)$, $X = Spec A$ (this is analogous to the isomorphism $HH^i(A)=H^i(X)$ discovered by Hochschild, Kostant and Rosenberg). Moreover, the construction of the Hochschild-Witt complex is actually simpler than the Deligne-Illusie construction, and it allows to clarify the structure of the de Rham-Witt complex.

I will explain an approach to study DT theory of toric CY 3-folds using $L_\infty$ algebras. Based on the construction of strong exceptional collection of line bundles on Fano toric stack of dimension two, we realize any bounded families of sheaves on local surfaces support on zero section as critical sets of the Chern-Simons functions. As a consequence of this construction, several interesting properties of DT invariants on local surfaces can be checked.

Motivated by a conjecture of Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa (AGT

conjecture), we construct an action of

a suitable $W$-algebra on the equivariant cohomology of the moduli

space $M_r$ of rank r instantons on $A^2$ (i.e.

on the moduli space of rank $r$ torsion free sheaves on $P^2$,

trivialized at the line at infinity). We show that

the resulting $W$-module is identified with a Verma module, and the

characteristic class of $M_r$ is the Whittaker vector

of that Verma module. One of the main ingredients of our construction

is the so-called cohomological Hall algebra of the

commuting variety, which is a certain associative algebra structure on

the direct sum of equivariant cohomology spaces

of the commuting varieties of $gl(r)$, for all $r$. Joint work with E. Vasserot.

This talk will be about various ways in which a variety can be "connected by higher genus curves", mimicking the notion of rational connectedness. At least in characteristic zero, the existence of a curve with a large deformation space of morphisms to a variety implies that the variety is in fact rationally connected. Time permitting I will discuss attempts to show this result in positive characteristic.

I show how to construct some Fano 3-folds that have the same Hilbert series but different Betti numbers, and so lie on different components of the Hilbert scheme. I would like to show where these fit in to a speculative (indeed fantastical) geography of Fano 3-folds, and how the projection methods I use may apply to other questions in the geography.

A perfect obstruction theory for a commutative ring is a morphism from a perfect complex to the cotangent complex of the ring

satisfying some further conditions. In this talk I will present work in progress on how to associate in a functorial manner commutative

differential graded algebras to such a perfect obstruction theory. The key property of the differential graded algebra is that its zeroth homology

is the ring equipped with the perfect obstruction theory. I will also indicate how the method introduced can be globalized to work on schemes

without encountering gluing issues.

I revisit the identification of Nekrasov's K-theoretic partition function, counting instantons on $R^4$, and the (refined) Donaldson-Thomas partition function of the associated local Calabi-Yau threefold. The main example will be the case of the resolved conifold, corresponding to the gauge group $U(1)$. I will show how recent mathematical results about refined DT theory confirm this identification, and speculate on how one could lift the equality of partition functions to a structural result about vector spaces.

Derived moduli stacks extend moduli stacks to give families over simplicial or dg rings. Lurie's representability theorem gives criteria for a functor to be representable by a derived geometric stack, and I will introduce a variant of it. This establishes representability for problems such as moduli of sheaves and moduli of polarised schemes.

String theory derives the features of the quantum field theory describing the gauge interactions between the elementary particles in four spacetime dimensions from the physics of strings propagating on the internal manifold, e.g. a Calabi-Yau threefold. A simplified version of this correspondence relates the SU(2)-equivariant generalization of the Donaldson theory (and its further generalizations involving the non-abelian monopole equations) to the Gromov-Witten (GW) theory of the so-called local Calabi-Yau threefolds, for the SU(2) subgroup of the rotation symmetry group SO(4). In recent years the GW theory was related to the Donaldson-Thomas (DT) theory enumerating the ideal sheaves of curves and points. On the toric local Calabi-Yau manifolds the latter theory is studied using localization, producing the so-called topological vertex formalism (which was originally based on more sophisticated open-closed topological string dualities).

In order to accomodate the full SO(4)-equivariant version of the four dimensional Donaldson theory, the so-called "refined topological vertex" was proposed. Unlike that of the ordinary topological vertex, its relation to the DT theory remained unclear.

In these talks, based on joint work with Andrei Okounkov, this gap will be partially filled by showing that the equivariant K-theoretic version of the DT theory reproduces both the SO(4)-equivariant Donaldson theory in four dimensions, and the refined topologica vertex formalism, for all toric Calabi-Yau's admitting the latter.

String theory derives the features of the quantum field theory describing the gauge interactions between the elementary particles in four spacetime dimensions from the physics of strings propagating on the internal manifold, e.g. a Calabi-Yau threefold. A simplified version of this correspondence relates the SU(2)-equivariant generalization of the Donaldson theory (and its further generalizations involving the non-abelian monopole equations) to the Gromov-Witten (GW) theory of the so-called local Calabi-Yau threefolds, for the SU(2) subgroup of the rotation symmetry group SO(4). In recent years the GW theory was related to the Donaldson-Thomas (DT) theory enumerating the ideal sheaves of curves and points. On the toric local Calabi-Yau manifolds the latter theory is studied using localization, producing the so-called topological vertex formalism (which was originally based on more sophisticated open-closed topological string dualities).

In order to accomodate the full SO(4)-equivariant version of the four dimensional Donaldson theory, the so-called "refined topological vertex" was proposed. Unlike that of the ordinary topological vertex, its relation to the DT theory remained unclear.

In these talks, based on joint work with Andrei Okounkov, this gap will be partially filled by showing that the equivariant K-theoretic version of the DT theory reproduces both the SO(4)-equivariant Donaldson theory in four dimensions, and the refined topological vertex formalism, for all toric Calabi-Yau's admitting the latter.

Special Lagrangian submanifolds are area minimizing Lagrangian submanifolds discovered by Harvey and Lawson. There is no obstruction to deforming compact special Lagrangian

submanifolds by a theorem of Mclean. It is however difficult to understand singularities of

special Lagrangian submanifolds (varifolds). Joyce has studied isolated singularities with multiplicity one smooth tangent cones. Suppose that there exists a compact special Lagrangian submanifold M of dimension three with one point singularity modelled on the Clliford torus cone. We may apply the gluing technique to M by a theorem of Joyce.

We obtain then a compact non-singular special Lagrangian submanifold sufficiently close to M as varifolds in Geometric Measure Theory. The main result of this talk is as follows: all special Lagrangian varifolds sufficiently close to M are obtained by the gluing technique.

The proof is similar to that of a theorem of Donaldson in the Yang-Mills theory.

One first proves an analogue of Uhlenbeck's removable singularities theorem in the Yang-Mills theory. One uses here an idea of a theorem of Simon, who proved the uniqueness of multiplicity one tangent cones of minimal surfaces. One proves next the uniqueness of local models for desingularizing M (see above) using symmetry of the Clifford torus cone.

These are the main part of the proof.

Joyce and Song expressed the wall-crossing behaviour of Donaldson-Thomas invariants using a sum over graphs. Joyce expected that these would have something to do with the Feynman diagrams of suitable physical theories. I will show how this can be achieved in the framework for wall-crossing proposed by Gaiotto, Moore and Neitzke. JS diagrams emerge from small corrections to a hyperkahler metric. The basics of GMN theory will be explained during the first talk.

Joyce and Song expressed the wall-crossing behaviour of Donaldson-Thomas invariants using a sum over graphs. Joyce expected that these would have something to do with the Feynman diagrams of suitable physical theories. I will show how this can be achieved in the framework for wall-crossing proposed by Gaiotto, Moore and Neitzke. JS diagrams emerge from small corrections to a hyperkahler metric. The basics of GMN theory will be explained during the

first talk.

Symplectic field theory (SFT) can be viewed as TQFT approach to Gromov-Witten theory. As in Gromov-Witten theory, transversality for the Cauchy-Riemann operator is not satisfied in general, due to the presence of multiply-covered curves. When the underlying simple curve is sufficiently nice, I will outline that the transversality problem for their multiple covers can be elegantly solved using finite-dimensional obstruction bundles of constant rank. By fixing the underlying holomorphic curve, we furthermore define a local version of SFT by counting only multiple covers of this chosen curve. After introducing gravitational descendants, we use this new version of SFT to prove that a stable hypersurface intersecting an exceptional sphere (in a homologically nontrivial way) in a closed four-dimensional symplectic manifold must carry an elliptic orbit. Here we use that the local Gromov-Witten potential of the exceptional sphere factors through the local SFT invariants of the breaking orbits appearing after neck-stretching along the hypersurface.

I will explain how moduli spaces of quadratic differentials on Riemann surfaces can be interpreted as spaces of stability conditions for certain 3-Calabi-Yau triangulated categories. These categories are defined via quivers with potentials, but can also be interpreted as Fukaya categories. This work (joint with Ivan Smith) was inspired by the papers of  Gaiotto, Moore and Neitzke, but connections with hyperkahler metrics, Fock-Goncharov coordinates etc. will not be covered in this talk.

There is a beautiful classification of full (rational) CFT due to

Fuchs, Runkel and Schweigert. The classification says roughly the

following. Fix a chiral algebra A (= vertex algebra). Then the set of

full CFT whose left and right chiral algebras agree with A is

classified by Frobenius algebras internal to Rep(A). A famous example

to which one can successfully apply this is the case when the chiral

algebra A is affine su(2): in that case, the Frobenius algebras in

Rep(A) are classified by A_n, D_n, E_6, E_7, E_8, and so are the

corresponding CFTs.

Recently, Kapustin and Saulina gave a conceptual interpretation of the

FRS classification in terms of 3-dimentional Chern-Simons theory with

defects. Those defects are also given by Frobenius algebras in Rep(A).

Inspired by the proposal of Kapustin and Saulina, we will (partially)

construct the three-tier CFT associated to a given Frobenius algebra.

This is a report on a joint work (in progress) with Pantev, Vaquie and Vezzosi. After some

reminders on derived algebraic geometry, I will present the notion of shifted symplectic structures, as well as several basic examples. I will state existence results: mapping spaces towards a symplectic targets, classifying spaces of reductive groups, Lagrangian intersections, and use them to construct many examples of (derived) moduli spaces endowed with shifted symplectic forms. In a second part, I will explain what "Quantization" means in the shifted context. The general theory will be illustrated by the particular examples of moduli of sheaves on oriented manifolds, in dimension 2, 3 and higher.

This is a report on a joint work (in progress) with Pantev, Vaquie and Vezzosi. After some

reminders on derived algebraic geometry, I will present the notion of shifted symplectic structures, as well as several basic examples. I will state existence results: mapping spaces towards a symplectic targets, classifying spaces of reductive groups, Lagrangian intersections, and use them to construct many examples of (derived) moduli spaces endowed with shifted symplectic forms. In a second part, I will explain what "Quantization" means in the shifted context. The general theory will be illustrated by the particular examples

of moduli of sheaves on oriented manifolds, in dimension 2, 3 and higher.

Assuming the natural compactification X of a hypersurface in (C^*)^n is smooth, it can exhibit any Kodaira dimension depending on the size and shape of the Newton polyhedron of X. In a joint work with Mark Gross and Ludmil Katzarkov, we give a construction for the expected mirror symmetry partner of a complete intersection X in a toric variety which works for any Kodaira dimension of X. The mirror dual might be a reducible and is equipped with a sheaf of vanishing cycles. We give evidence for the duality by proving the symmetry of the Hodge numbers when X is a hypersurface. The leading example will be the mirror of a genus two curve. If time permits, I will explain relations to homological mirror symmetry and the Gross-Siebert construction.

Assuming the natural compactification X of a hypersurface in (C^*)^n is smooth, it can exhibit any Kodaira dimension depending on the size and shape of the Newton polyhedron of X. In a joint work with Mark Gross and Ludmil Katzarkov, we give a construction for the expected mirror symmetry partner of a complete intersection X in a toric variety which works for any Kodaira dimension of X. The mirror dual might be a reducible and is equipped with a sheaf of vanishing cycles. We give evidence for the duality by proving the symmetry of the Hodge numbers when X is a hypersurface. The leading example will be the mirror of a genus two curve. If time permits, I will explain relations to homological mirror symmetry and the Gross-Siebert construction.

I will describe a version of the definition of stability conditions on a triangulated category to which we were led by the study of quantization of symplectic resolutions of singularities over fields of positive characteristic. Partly motivated by ideas of Tom Bridgeland, we conjectured a relation of this structure to equivariant quantum cohomology; this conjecture has been verified in some classes of examples. The talk is based on joint projects with Anno, Mirkovic, Okounkov and others

I will describe a version of the definition of stability conditions on a triangulated category to which we were led by the study of quantization of symplectic resolutions of singularities over fields of positive characteristic. Partly motivated by ideas of Tom Bridgeland, we conjectured a relation of this structure to equivariant quantum cohomology; this conjecture has been verified in some classes of examples. The talk is based on joint projects with Anno, Mirkovic, Okounkov and others

In the talk I plan to overview several constructions for finite dimensional represenations of DAHA: construction via quantization of Hilbert scheme of points in the plane (after Gordon, Stafford), construction via quantum Hamiltonian reduction (after Gan, Ginzburg), monodromic construction (after Calaque, Enriquez, Etingof). I will discuss the relations of the constructions to the conjectures from the first lecture.

A dimer model on a surface with punctures is an embedded quiver such that its vertices correspond to the punctures and the arrows circle round the faces they cut out. To any dimer model Q we can associate two categories: A wrapped Fukaya category F(Q), and a category of matrix factorizations M(Q). In both categories the objects are arrows, which are interpreted as Lagrangian subvarieties in F(Q) and will give us certain matrix factorizations of a potential on the Jacobi algebra of the dimer in M(Q).

We show that there is a duality D on the set of all dimers such that for consistent dimers the category of matrix factorizations M(Q) is isomorphic to the Fukaya category of its dual,  F((DQ)). We also discuss the connection with classical mirror symmetry.

Generalized Donaldson-Thomas invariants $\bar{DT}^\alpha(\tau)$ defined by Joyce and Song are rational numbers which 'count' both $\tau$-stable and $\tau$-semistable coherent sheaves with Chern character $\alpha$ on a Calabi-Yau 3-fold X, where $\tau$ denotes Gieseker stability for some ample line bundle on X. The theory of Joyce and Song is valid only over the field $\mathbb C$. We will extend it to algebraically closed fields $\mathbb K$ of characteristic zero.

We will describe the local structure of the moduli stack $\mathfrak M$ of coherent sheaves on X, showing that an atlas for $\mathfrak M$ may be written locally as the zero locus of an almost closed 1-form on an \'etale open subset of the tangent space of $\mathfrak M$ at a point, and use this to deduce identities on the Behrend

function $\nu_{\mathfrak M}$ of $\mathfrak M$. This also yields an extension of generalized Donaldson-Thomas theory to noncompact Calabi-Yau 3-folds.

Finally, we will investigate how our argument might yield generalizations of the theory to a even wider context, for example the derived framework using Toen's theory and to motivic Donaldson-Thomas theory in the style of Kontsevich and Soibelman.

There exist two constructions of families of exotic monotone Lagrangian tori in complex projective spaces and products of spheres, namely the one by Chekanov and Schlenk, and the one via the Lagrangian circle bundle construction of Biran. It was conjectured that these constructions give Hamiltonian isotopic tori. I will explain why this conjecture is true in the complex projective plane and the product of two two-dimensional spheres.

In joint work with Tim Perutz, we give a complete characterization of the Fukaya category of the punctured torus, denoted by $Fuk(T_0)$. This, in particular, means that one can write down an explicit minimal model for $Fuk(T_0)$ in the form of an A-infinity algebra, denoted by A, and classify A-infinity structures on the relevant algebra. A result that we will discuss is that no associative algebra is quasi-equivalent to the model A of the Fukaya category of the punctured torus, i.e., A is non-formal. $Fuk(T_0)$ will be connected to many topics of interest: 1) It is the boundary category that we associate to a 3-manifold with torus boundary in our extension of Heegaard Floer theory to manifolds with boundary, 2) It is quasi-equivalent to the category of perfect complexes on an irreducible rational curve with a double point, an instance of homological mirror symmetry.

The effective cone of the Hilbert scheme of points in $P^2$ has

finitely many chambers corresponding to finitely many birational models.

In this talk, I will identify these models with moduli of

Bridgeland-stable two-term complexes in the derived category of

coherent sheaves on $P^2$ and describe a

map from (a slice of) the stability manifold of $P^2$

to the effective cone of the Hilbert scheme that would explain the

correspondence. This is joint work with Daniele Arcara and Izzet Coskun.

I will discuss a conjectural Bogomolov-Gieseker type inequality for "tilt-stable" objects in the derived category of coherent sheaves on smooth projective threefolds. The conjecture implies the existence of Bridgeland stability conditions on threefolds, and also has implications to birational geometry: it implies a slightly weaker version of Fujita's conjecture on very ampleness of adjoint line bundles.

Counting the number of curves of degree $d$ with $n$ nodes (and no further singularities) going through $(d^2+3d)/2 - n$ points in general position in the projective plane is a problem which was already considered more than 150 years ago. More recently, people conjectured that for sufficiently large $d$ this number should be given by a polynomial of degree $2n$ in $d$. More generally, the Göttsche conjecture states that the number of $n$-nodal curves in a general $n$-dimensional linear subsystem of a sufficiently ample line bundle $L$ on a nonsingular projective surface $S$ is given by a universal polynomial of degree $n$ in the 4 topological numbers $L^2, L.K_S, (K_S)^2$ and $c_2(S)$. In a joint work with Vivek Shende and Richard Thomas, we give a short (compared to existing) proof of this conjecture.

I describe a conjecture equating the two items appearing in the title.