Partition Functions Of

Twisted Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

On Four-Manifolds
Via u-Plane Integrals
Gregory Moore
Rutgers University
Mostly review; new work with I. Nidaiev;
work in progress with Jan Manschot.

European String Workshop,

April 12, 2018
1 Introduction

2 Cambrian: Witten Reads Donaldson

3 Carboniferous: SW Theory & u-plane Derivation

Of Witten’s Conjecture.

4 Holocene: Three New Apps

5 Holomorphic Anomaly & Continuous Metric Dep.

6 Back To The Future

2
 Donaldson Invariants Of 4-folds
𝑋: Smooth, compact, oriented, 𝜕𝑋 = ∅ , (𝜋1 𝑋 = 0)
𝑃 → 𝑋 : Principal SO(3) bundle.
𝑋 has metric 𝑔𝜇𝜈 . Consider moduli space of instantons:
ℳ ≔ { 𝐴: 𝐹 +∗ 𝐹 = 0} 𝑚𝑜𝑑 𝒢
Donaldson defines cohomology classes in ℳ
associated to points and surfaces in 𝑋 : 𝜇 𝑝 & 𝜇 𝑆

℘𝐷 𝑝ℓ 𝑆 𝑟 ≔ න 𝜇 𝑝 ℓ 𝜇 𝑆 𝑟
ℳ

Independent of metric! ⇒ smooth invariants of 𝑋.

Combined with Freedman theorem: Spectacular!

 Witten’s Interpretation:
Topologically Twisted SYM On X
Consider 𝒩 = 2 SYM theory on X for gauge group G
Witten’s ``topological twisting’’: Couple to special
external gauge fields for certain global symmetries.
Result: Fermion fields and susy operators are differential
forms; The twisted theory is defined on non-spin manifolds.

And there is a scalar susy operator with 𝑄2 = 0

Formally: Correlation functions of operators in 𝑄-coho. localize to

integrals over the moduli spaces of G-ASD connections
(or generalizations thereof).
Witten’s proposal: For 𝐺 = 𝑆𝑈 2 correlation functions of
the special operators are the Donaldson polynomials.
 Local Observables
℘ ∈ 𝐼𝑛𝑣(𝔤) ⇒ 𝑈 = ℘ 𝜙 𝜙 ∈ Ω0 (𝑎𝑑𝑃 ⊗ ℂ)
Descent formalism
𝐻∗ (𝑋, ℂ) 𝐻 ∗ (𝐹𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒; 𝑄)

𝜇 Localization identity

𝐻 ∗ (ℳ)
𝜙2
𝔤 = 𝔰𝔲(2) 𝑈(𝑝) = 𝑇𝑟2 𝑈 𝑆 ∼ න 𝑇𝑟(𝜙𝐹 + 𝜓 2 )
8𝜋 2 𝑆
 Donaldson-Witten Partition
Function
𝑍𝐷𝑊 𝑝, 𝑠 = 𝑒 𝑈(𝑝)+𝑈 𝑆
Λ
න 𝑇𝑟 𝐹 2 = 8 𝜋 2 𝑘
1 𝑋
dim ℳ𝑘
2
= ෍Λ න 𝑒𝜇 𝑝 +𝜇 𝑆

𝑘 ℳ𝑘

Strategy: Evaluate in LEET ⇒ Witten (1994)

introduces the Seiberg-Witten invariants.

Major success in
Physical Mathematics.
 What About Other N=2 Theories?
Natural Question: Given the successful application of
𝒩 = 2 SYM for SU(2) to the theory of 4-manifold
invariants, are there interesting applications of OTHER
𝒩 = 2 field theories?

Topological twisting just depends on 𝑆𝑈 2 𝑅

symmetry and makes sense for any 𝒩 = 2 theory.

𝑍 𝒯 ≔ 𝑒 𝑈(𝑝)+𝑈 𝑆
𝒯
Also an interesting exercise in QFT to compute
correlation functions of nontrivial theories in 4d.
 SU(2) With Matter
⊕𝑁𝑓𝑙 Mass parameters 𝑚𝑓 ∈ ℂ, 𝑓 = 1, … , 𝑁𝑓𝑙
ℛ=2

+ ⊕𝑁𝑓𝑙
𝑀 ∈ Γ(𝑆 ⊗ 𝐸 ) w2 (P) = 𝑤2 𝑋

∗ ∗
𝒩 = 2 : ℛ = (𝑎𝑑𝑗ℂ ⊕ 𝑎𝑑𝑗ℂ ) 𝑚∈ℂ

1
𝑀 ∈ Γ(𝑆 + ⊗ 𝐿2 ⊗ 𝑎𝑑𝑃) 𝑤2 𝐿 = 𝑤2 𝑃
[Labastida-Marino ‘98]
 UV Interpretation
𝑍 𝑝, 𝑆 = 𝑒 𝑈(𝑝)+𝑈 𝑆
𝒯
1
dim ℳ𝑘
2
= ෍Λ න 𝑒𝜇 𝑝 +𝜇 𝑆
ℳ𝑘
But now ℳ𝑘 : 𝑘
is the moduli space of:
+ ഥ
𝐹 = 𝒟(𝑀, 𝑀) 𝛾⋅𝐷𝑀 =0
U(1) case: Seiberg-Witten equations.
``Generalized monopole equations’’
[Labastida-Marino; Losev-Shatashvili-Nekrasov]
1 Introduction

2 Cambrian: Witten Reads Donaldson

3 Carboniferous: SW Theory & u-plane Derivation

Of Witten’s Conjecture.

4 Holocene: Three New Apps

5 Holomorphic Anomaly & Continuous Metric Dep.

6 Back To The Future

10
 Coulomb Branch Vacua On ℝ4

𝑆𝑈 2 → 𝑈(1) by vev of Order parameter:

adjoint Higgs field 𝜙: 𝑢= 𝑈 𝑝 ∈ℂ

Coulomb branch: ℬ = 𝔱 ⊗ ℂ/𝑊 ≅ ℂ 𝑎𝑑𝑃 → 𝐿2 ⊕ 𝒪 ⊕ 𝐿−2

Photon: Connection A on L 𝑈 1 𝑉𝑀: 𝑎, 𝐴, 𝜒, 𝜓, 𝜂

𝑎: complex scalar field on ℝ4 :

Compute couplings in U(1) LEET.

Then compute path integral with this action.
Then integrate over vacua.
 Seiberg-Witten Theory: 1/2
For G=SU(2) SYM coupled to matter the LEET
can be deduced from a holomorphic family of
elliptic curves with differential:

2 3 𝑑𝜆 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝑢 : 𝑦 = 4𝑥 − 𝑔2 𝑥 − 𝑔3 = 𝑢∈ℂ
𝑑𝑢 𝑦
𝑔2 , 𝑔3 are polynomials in u, masses,
Λ, modular functions of 𝜏0
3 2
Δ≔4 𝑔2 − 27 𝑔3 : polynomial in u

Δ 𝑢𝑗 = 0 ∶ Discriminant locus
𝐸𝑢𝑗 𝐸𝑢

𝑢𝑗 𝑢
 Examples
2 2 2
𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 0: 𝑦 = (𝑥 − 𝑢)(𝑥 − Λ )(𝑥 + Λ )
3
𝑚2
𝒩 = 2∗ : 𝑦 2 = ෑ 𝑥 − 𝛼𝑖 𝛼𝑖 = 𝑢 𝑒𝑖 𝜏0 + 𝑒𝑖 𝜏0 2
4
𝑖=1
3

𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 4: 𝑦 2 = 𝑊1 𝑊2 𝑊3 + 𝜂12 ෍ 𝑅4𝑖 𝑊𝑖 + 𝜂 24 𝑅6

𝑖=1
2
𝑊𝑖 = 𝑥 − 𝑢 𝑒𝑖 𝜏0 − 𝑅2 𝑒𝑖 𝜏0
𝑅2 ∼ 𝑇𝑟8𝑖 𝔪2 𝑅4𝑖 ∼ 𝑇𝑟8𝑖 𝔪4 𝑅6 ∼ 𝑇𝑟8𝑖 𝔪6
Δ: 6th order polynomial in 𝑢 with ∼ 3 × 103 terms
 Local System Of Charges
Electro-mag. charge lattice: Γ𝑢 = 𝐻1 (𝐸𝑢 ; ℤ)
has nontrivial monodromy around
discriminant locus: Δ 𝑢𝑗 = 0

LEET: Requires choosing a duality frame:

Γ𝑢 ≅ ℤ𝛾𝑒 ⊕ ℤ𝛾𝑚 ⇒ 𝜏 𝑢

𝑆∼ 2 2
‫𝐹𝜏 𝑋׬‬
ҧ + + 𝜏𝐹− +⋯
 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 0 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 1 𝒩 = 2∗

𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 4

LEET breaks down at 𝑢 = 𝑢𝑗 where 𝐼𝑚 𝜏 → 0

 Seiberg-Witten Theory: 2/2
LEET breaks down because there are new
massless fields associated to BPS states

𝑢 = 𝑢𝑗

𝑈 1 𝑗 𝑉𝑀: 𝑎, 𝐴, 𝜒, 𝜓, 𝜂 𝑗
LEET u ∈ 𝒰𝑗 :
+
Charge 1 HM: 𝑀 = 𝑞 ⊕ 𝑞෤ ∗ , ⋯
Evaluate 𝑍𝐷𝑊 Using LEET
𝑍𝐷𝑊 𝑝, 𝑆 = 𝑒 𝑈 𝑝 +𝑈 𝑆
Λ
1
dim ℳ𝑘
2
= ෍ Λ0 න 𝑒𝜇 𝑝 +𝜇 𝑆

𝑘 ℳ𝑘

𝑆𝑊
𝑍𝐷𝑊 = 𝑍𝑢 + ෍ 𝑍𝑗
𝑢𝑗

𝑢 𝑢
= −Λ2 = Λ2
 u-Plane Integral 𝑍𝑢
Can be computed explicitly from QFT of LEET
Vanishes if 𝑏2+ > 1 . When 𝑏2+ = 1:
𝑍𝑢 = ‫𝑑 ׬‬u dതu ℋ Ψ
ℋ is holomorphic and metric-independent
Ψ: Sum over line bundles for the U(1) photon.
(Remnant of sum over SU(2) gauge bundles.)
ഥ 𝜆2+ −𝑖 𝜋𝜏 𝑢 𝜆2−
−𝑖 𝜋ത𝜏 𝑢
Ψ∼ ෍ 𝑒
𝜆=𝑐1 𝐿
NOT holomorphic and metric- DEPENDENT
 Initial Comments On 𝑍𝑢
𝑍𝑢 is a very subtle integral.
It requires careful regularization
and definition.
(It is also related to integrals from number theory
such as `` Θ −lifts’’ and mock modular forms…)

But first let’s finish writing down the

full answer for the partition function.
 Contributions From 𝒰𝑗
Path integral for 𝑈 1 𝑗 VM + HM:
General considerations imply 𝑍𝑗𝑆𝑊 =
෍ 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 𝑒 2𝜋𝑖 𝜆⋅𝜆0 𝑅𝜆 𝑝, 𝑆
1
𝜆∈ 𝑤2 𝑋 +𝐻 2 𝑋,ℤ
2
Special coordinate: 𝑎𝑗 𝑢 = 𝑢𝑗 + 𝜅𝑗 𝑎𝑗 + 𝒪(𝑎𝑗2 )
𝒅𝒖
𝑑𝑎𝑗 𝟐𝒑𝒖+𝑺𝟐 𝑻 𝒖 +𝒊
𝒅𝒂𝒋
𝑺⋅𝝀
𝝀𝟐
𝑅𝜆 𝑝, 𝑆 = 𝑅𝑒𝑠[ 𝑑 𝜆
𝒆 𝑪 𝒖 𝑃 𝑢 𝜎𝐸 𝑢 𝜒
]
1+ 2
𝑎𝑗

C,P,E:Universal functions. In principle computable.

2𝜆 2 − 𝑐 2 2
𝑑 𝜆 = 𝑐 = 2𝜒 + 3 𝜎
4
 Deriving C,P,E From Wall-Crossing
𝑑
𝑍𝑢 = ‫ = 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑇 ׬‬ර 𝑑𝑢 … . + ෍ ර 𝑑𝑢 …
𝑑𝑔𝜇𝜈 ∞ 𝑢𝑗

𝑍𝑢 piecewise constant: Discontinuous jumps across walls:

𝑆𝑊
Δ𝑗 𝑍𝑢 + Δ𝑍𝑗 = 0 ⇒ 𝐶 𝑢 ,𝑃 𝑢 ,𝐸 𝑢

Then for 𝑏2+ > 1 , 𝑍𝑢 = 0, but we

know the couplings to compute 𝑍𝑆𝑊 !

𝑍𝑢 is the tail that wags the dog.

 Witten Conjecture
+
⇒ a formula for all X with 𝑏2 > 0. For
𝑏2+ 𝑋 > 1 we derive ``Witten’s conjecture’’:
1 2 1
𝑐 2 −𝜒ℎ −2𝑆 2 −2𝑝
𝑍𝐷𝑊 𝑝, 𝑆 = 2 ( 𝑒 2𝑆 +2𝑝 ෍ 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 𝑒 2𝜋𝑖 𝜆⋅𝜆0 2𝑆⋅𝜆
𝑒 +𝑒 ෍ 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 𝑒 2𝜋𝑖 𝜆⋅𝜆0 𝑒 −2𝑖𝑆⋅𝜆 )
𝜆 𝜆

𝜒+𝜎
𝜒ℎ = 𝑐 2 = 2𝜒 + 3 𝜎
4

Example: 𝑋 = 𝐾3:
𝑆2
𝑍 = sinh( + 2 𝑝)
2 23
 Generalization To 𝑁𝑓𝑙 > 0
2+𝑁𝑓𝑙
+
𝑏2 >1 𝑍 𝑝; 𝑆; 𝑚𝑓 = ෍ 𝑍(𝑝, 𝑆; 𝑚𝑓 ; 𝑢𝑗 )
𝑗=1

𝑍 𝑝, 𝑆; 𝑚𝑓 ; 𝑢𝑗 = 𝛼 𝜒 𝛽𝜎 ෍ 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 𝑒 2𝜋𝑖 𝜆⋅𝜆0 𝑅𝑗 (𝑝, 𝑆)

𝜆

X is SWST ⇒

𝑅𝑗 (𝑝, 𝑆) is computable explicitly as a

function of 𝑝, 𝑆, 𝑚𝑓 , Λ, 𝜏0 from first order
degeneration of the SW curve.
 𝜒ℎ 𝑑𝑢 𝜒ℎ +𝜎 𝑑𝑢
𝑅𝑗 𝑝, 𝑠 = 𝜇𝑗 exp 2𝑝 𝑢𝑗 + 𝑆2𝑇 𝑢𝑗 − 𝑖 𝑆⋅𝜆
𝑑𝑎 𝑑𝑎 𝑗

𝑦 2 = 4𝑥 3 − 𝑔2 𝑢, 𝑚 𝑥 − 𝑔3 𝑢, 𝑚

Assume a simple zero for Δ as 𝑢 → 𝑢𝑗

Choose local duality frame with 𝑎𝑗 → 0

𝑑𝑎𝑗 𝑑𝑎𝑗,𝐷
Nonvanishing period: and → 𝑖 ∞:
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑢
2 3
𝑑𝑎𝑗 𝑔2 𝑔2
ቚ ∼ ቚ 𝜇𝑗 ∼ ቚ
𝑑𝑢 𝑢𝑗 𝑔3 𝑢𝑗 Δ′ 𝑢𝑗
1 Introduction

2 Cambrian: Witten Reads Donaldson

3 Carboniferous: SW Theory & u-plane Derivation

Of Witten’s Conjecture.

4 Holocene: Three New Apps

5 Holomorphic Anomaly & Continuous Metric Dep.

6 Back To The Future

26
 ∗
Application 1: Case Of 𝒩 = 2
Using these methods analogous formulae were
worked out for N=2*, by Labastida-Lozano in
1998, but only in the case when 𝑋 is spin.
They checked S-duality for the case 𝑏2+ > 1
The generalization to 𝑋 which is NOT spin is
nontrivial and involves new effective interactions
not in the literature.

𝑐1 𝔰 2 𝜕𝑎𝐷
− −𝑖 𝜆⋅𝑐1 𝔰
𝑢− 𝑢1 8 𝑒 𝜕𝑚
Application 2: S-Duality Of 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 4
𝑍(𝑝, 𝑆; 𝜏0 ) is expected to have modular properties:

6
𝜒ℎ 𝜒ℎ +𝜎
𝜇
෍ 𝑗 𝜅𝑗 𝑒 𝑝 𝑢𝑗 +𝑖 𝜅𝑗 𝜆⋅𝑆+⋯
1
𝑔3 𝑢𝑗 2
𝑗=1
𝜅𝑗 =
𝑔2 𝑢𝑗

−24 3 −1
𝜇𝑗 = 𝜂 𝜏0 𝑔2 𝑢𝑗 ෑ 𝑢𝑗 − 𝑢𝑘
𝑘

Sum over 𝑗 gives symmetric rational function

of 𝑢𝑗 ⇒ 𝑍 will be modular:
 𝑎 𝑏
𝛾= ∈ 𝑆𝐿(2, ℤ)
𝑐 𝑑
𝑐 2
𝑝+ 𝑆 𝑆 𝑎𝜏0 + 𝑏
𝑐𝜏0 + 𝑑
𝑍 , ; ; 𝛾 ⋅ 𝔪
𝑐 𝜏0 + 𝑑 2 𝑐𝜏0 + 𝑑 2 𝑐𝜏 + 𝑑
0
= (𝑐𝜏0 +

(Neglecting 𝛼, 𝛽 coefficients.)
 Application 3: AD3 Partition Function
Consider 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 1. At a critical point 𝑚 = 𝑚∗ two
singularities 𝑢± collide at 𝑢 = 𝑢∗ and the SW
curve becomes a cusp: 𝑦 2 = 𝑥 3 [Argyres,Plesser,Seiberg,Witten]

Two mutually nonlocal BPS states have vanishing mass:

ර 𝜆→0 ර 𝜆→0 𝛾1 ⋅ 𝛾2 ≠ 0
𝛾1 𝛾2

Physically: No local Lagrangian for the LEET :

Signals a nontrivial superconformal field theory
appears in the IR in the limit 𝑚 → 𝑚∗
 AD3 From 𝑆𝑈 2 𝑁𝑓 = 1

SW curve in the scaling region:

2 3 2
𝑦 =𝑥 − 3 Λ𝐴𝐷 𝑥 + 𝑢𝐴𝐷
Λ2𝐴𝐷 ∼ 𝑚 − 𝑚∗
Call it the ``AD3-Family over the 𝑢𝐴𝐷 −plane’’
 AD3 Partition Function - 1
Work with Iurii Nidaiev

The 𝑆𝑈 2 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 1 u-plane integral has a nontrivial

contribution from the scaling region 𝑢± → 𝑢∗

lim 𝑍𝑢 − න𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑢ത lim 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑢, 𝑢ത ; 𝑚 ≠ 0

𝑚→𝑚∗ 𝑚→𝑚∗

Limit and integration commute except in an

infinitesimal region around 𝑢∗
Attribute the discrepancy to the
contribution of the AD3 theory
 AD3 Partition Function - 2
1. Limit 𝑚 → 𝑚∗ exists. (No noncompact Higgs branch.)
2. The partition function is a sum over all
Q-invariant field configurations.
3. Scaling region near 𝑢∗ governed by AD3 theory.

lim 𝑍𝑆𝑈 2 ,𝑁𝑓𝑙 =1

``contains’’ the AD partition function
𝑚→𝑚∗

Extract it from the scaling region. Our result:

𝐴𝐷3 𝐴𝐷3−𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝐴𝐷3−𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦
𝑍 = lim 𝑍𝑢 + 𝑍𝑆𝑊
Λ𝐴𝐷 →0

Claim: This is the AD3 TFT on 𝑋 for 𝑏2+ > 0 .

 AD3 Partition Function: Evidence 1/2
Existence of limit is highly nontrivial. It follows
from ``superconformal simple type sum rules’’ :

Theorem [MMP, 1998] If the superconformal simple

type sum rules hold:

a.) 𝜒ℎ −𝑐 2 − 3 ≤ 0
b.) σ𝜆 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 𝑒 2𝜋 𝑖 𝜆⋅𝜆0 𝜆𝑘 = 0 0 ≤ 𝑘 ≤ 𝜒ℎ − 𝑐 2 − 4

Then the limit 𝑚 → 𝑚∗ exists

It is now a rigorous theorem that SWST ⇒ SCST

 AD3 Partition Function: Evidence 2/2
For 𝑏2+ > 0 recover the expected selection rule:

6ℓ + 𝑟 𝜒ℎ − 𝑐 2
𝑈(𝑝)ℓ 𝑈 𝑆 𝑟
≠ 0 only for =
5 5

Consistent with background charge for

AD3 computed by Shapere-Tachikawa.
+
Explicitly, if 𝑋 of 𝑆𝑊𝑆𝑇 and 𝑏2 > 1:
 +
Explicitly, if 𝑋 of 𝑆𝑊𝑆𝑇 and 𝑏2 > 1:
1 𝜒 𝜎
𝑍 𝐴𝐷3 = 𝐾1 𝐾2 𝐾3 ෍ 𝑒 2𝜋𝑖 𝜆⋅𝑤2 𝑆𝑊 𝜆 ⋅
𝔅!
𝜆
𝔅−2 2 2
⋅{ 𝜆⋅𝑆 (24 𝜆 ⋅ 𝑆 +𝔅 𝔅−1 𝑆 }
7 𝜒 + 11 𝜎
𝔅 = 𝜒ℎ − 𝑐 2 = −
4
Surprise! p drops out: U(p) is a ``null vector’’
1 Introduction

2 Cambrian: Witten Reads Donaldson

3 Carboniferous: SW Theory & u-plane Derivation

Of Witten’s Conjecture.

4 Holocene: Three New Apps

5 Holomorphic Anomaly & Continuous Metric Dep.

6 Back To The Future

37
 𝑍𝑢 Wants To Be A Total Derivative
𝑍𝑢 = ‫𝑑 ׬‬u d uത ℋ 𝑢 Ψ
𝑑 𝜔 2 𝑑𝑢
−𝑖 𝜋𝜏𝜆 −𝑖 𝑆⋅ +2 𝜋𝑖 𝜆−𝜆0 ⋅𝑤2
Ψ=෍ ℰ 𝑟𝜆 , 𝑏𝜆 𝑒 𝑑𝑎
𝑑𝑢ത
𝜆 𝑟
−2𝜋𝑡 2 𝑖 𝑑𝑢
ℰ 𝑟, 𝑏 = න 𝑒 𝑑𝑡 𝑟𝜆𝜔 = 𝑦𝜆+ − 𝑆+
𝑏 4𝜋 𝑦 𝑑𝑎
Lower limit 𝑏𝜆 must be independent of uത but can
depend on 𝜆, 𝜔, 𝑢.
[Korpas & Manschot; Moore & Nidaiev ]

𝑍𝑢
?
= ‫𝑑 ׬‬u d uത
𝑑
(ℋ 𝑢 Θ ) 𝜔
𝑑 𝑢ത
 𝑑 𝜔
No! 𝑍𝑢 = ∮ d uത ℋ 𝑢 Θ = ∮ 𝑑 𝑢ത ℋΨ
𝑑𝑢ത
has nontrivial periods in general!
BUT: The difference for two metrics CAN be
evaluated by residues!
𝜔0 𝑑
𝜔
𝑍𝑢 − 𝑍𝑢 = ‫𝑢 𝑑 𝑢𝑑 ׬‬ത ෡
(ℋ Θ 𝜔,𝜔0
)
𝑑𝑢ത
𝜔0 −𝑖 𝜋𝜏 𝑢 𝜆2 +⋯
Θ෡ 𝜔,𝜔0 =෍ ℰ 𝑟𝜆𝜔 −ℰ 𝑟𝜆 𝑒
𝜆
𝜔 𝑖 𝑑𝑢
𝑟𝜆 = 𝑦𝜆+ − 𝑆+
4𝜋 𝑦 𝑑𝑎
Modular completion of indefinite theta function of Vigneras, Zwegers, Zagier
 Holomorphic Anomaly &
Metric Dependence
For theories with a manifold of superconformal
couplings, 𝜏 𝑢 → 𝜏0 when 𝑢 → ∞
෡
Θ 𝜔,𝜔0 ෡
𝜏 𝑢 ,… → Θ 𝜔,𝜔0
𝜏0 , …
Contour integral at ∞ ⇒ 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑏2+ = 1,
many ``topological’’ correlators:
Nonholomorphic in 𝜏0
Depend continuously on metric
[Moore & Witten, 1997 -- albeit sotto voce ]
 Special Case Of ℂℙ 2

2
No walls: 𝜔 ∈ 𝐻 𝑋, ℝ ≅ ℝ, so we
only see holomorphic anomaly.

⇒ Path integral derivation of

the holomorphic anomaly.
 Vafa-Witten Partition Functions
VW twist of N=4 SYM formally computes the ``Euler
character’’ of instanton moduli space.
(Not really a topological invariant. True mathematical meaning unclear, but see
recent work of Tanaka & Thomas; Gholampour, Sheshmani, & Yau.)

Physics suggests the partition function is both

modular (S-duality) and holomorphic.
Surprise! Computations of Klyachko and Yoshioka for
𝑋 = ℂℙ2 show that the holomorphic generating
function is only mock modular.

But a nonholomorphic modular completion exists.

This has never been properly derived from a path
integral argument. .

But we just derived completely analogous

results for the 𝑁𝑓𝑙 = 4 and 𝒩 = 2∗ theories
from a path integral, suggesting VW will also
have continuous metric dependence.
Indeed, continuous metric dependence in VW theory for
SU(𝑟 > 1) has been predicted in papers of Jan
Manschot using rather different methods.
We hope that a similar path integral derivation
can be found for the 𝒩 = 4 Vafa-Witten twisted
theory.
1 Introduction

2 Cambrian: Witten Reads Donaldson

3 Carboniferous: SW Theory & u-plane Derivation

Of Witten’s Conjecture.

4 Holocene: Three New Apps

5 Holomorphic Anomaly & Continuous Metric Dep.

6 Back To The Future

44
 Future Directions
Lots of details to clean up
Comparison with localization results of Gukov et. al.

There is an interesting generalization to

invariants for families of four-manifolds.
Generalization to all theories in class S:
Many aspects are clear – this is under study.

Does the u-plane integral make sense for

ANY family of Seiberg-Witten curves ?