Towards Logarithmic GLSM: The r-spin case

In this article, we establish the logarithmic foundation for compactifying the moduli stacks of the gauged linear sigma model using stable log maps of Abramovich-Chen-Gross-Siebert. We then illustrate our method via the key example of Witten's $r$-spin class to construct a proper moduli stack with a reduced perfect obstruction theory whose virtual cycle recovers the $r$-spin virtual cycle of Chang-Li-Li. Indeed, our construction of the reduced virtual cycle is built upon the work of Chang-Li-Li by appropriately extending and modifying the Kiem-Li cosection along certain logarithmic boundary. In the subsequent article, we push the technique to a general situation. One motivation of our construction is to fit the gauged linear sigma model in the broader setting of Gromov-Witten theory so that powerful tools such as virtual localization can be applied. A project along this line is currently in progress leading to applications including computing loci of holomorphic differentials, and calculating higher genus Gromov-Witten invariants of quintic threefolds.