Related papers: Morse theory and stable pairs

We study a topological Yang-Mills theory with $N=2$ fermionic symmetry. Our formalism is a field theoretical interpretation of the Donaldson polynomial invariants on compact K\"{a}hler surfaces. We also study an analogous theory on compact…

We propose that chiral two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory on a Riemann surface is dual to a deformed stationary subsector of the Gromov-Witten theory of that Riemann surface. Firstly, we argue that the algebraic structure that underlies the…

Given a flat gauge field $\nabla$ on a vector bundle $F$ over a manifold $M$ we deduce a necessary and sufficient condition for the field $\nabla+ E$, with $E$ an ${\rm End}(F)$-valued $1$-form, to be a Yang-Mills field. For each curve of…

We present a new construction of tubular neighborhoods in (possibly infinite dimensional) Riemannian manifolds M, which allows us to show that if G is an arbitrary group acting isometrically on M, then every G-invariant submanifold with…

Using Morse-theoretic techniques, we show that the moduli space of U*(2n)-Higgs bundles over a compact Riemann surface is connected.

We use Morse theory of the Yang-Mills functional to compute the Betti numbers of the moduli stack of flat U(3)-bundles over a compact nonorientable surface. Our result establishes the antiperfection conjecture of Ho-Liu, and provides…

We study two semiclassical limits of $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills theory on a spatial torus with a 't Hooft twist: the ``femtouniverse,'' where all $\mathbb{T}^3$ directions are small, and deformed Yang-Mills theory on $\mathbb{T}^2 \times…

Using the Morse-theoretic techniques introduced by Hitchin, we prove that the moduli space of $\Sp(2p,2q)$-Higgs bundles over a compact Riemann surface of genus $g\geq 2$ is connected. In particular, this implies that the moduli space of…

A new topological conformal field theory in four Euclidean dimensions is constructed from N=4 super Yang-Mills theory by twisting the whole of the conformal group with the whole of the R-symmetry group, resulting in a theory that is…

On a compact Riemann surface $\Sigma$ of genus $g>1$, equipped with a complex vector bundle $E$ of rank $2$ and degree zero let $M_H$ be the moduli space of Higgs bundles. $M_H$ admits a $\mathbb C^{\star}$-action and to each stable…

Using the L^2 norm of the Higgs field as a Morse function, we study the moduli spaces of U(p,q)-Higgs bundles over a Riemann surface. We require that the genus of the surface be at least two, but place no constraints on (p,q). A key step is…

We introduce the description of a Wilson surface as a 2-dimensional topological quantum field theory with a 1-dimensional Hilbert space. On a closed surface, the Wilson surface theory defines a topological invariant of the principal…

We show that the Taylor-Wiles method can be applied to the cohomology of a Shimura variety $S$ of PEL type attached to a unitary similitude group $G$, with coefficients in the coherent sheaf attached to an automorphic vector bundle $\CF$ ,…

The four-dimensional topological Yang-Mills theory with two anticommuting charges is naturally formulated on K\"ahler manifolds. By using a superspace approach we clarify the structure of the Faddeev-Popov sector and determine the total…

We consider generic properties of the moduli space of vacua in $N=2$ supersymmetric Yang--Mills theory recently studied by Seiberg and Witten. We find, on general grounds, Picard--Fuchs type of differential equations expressing the…

Using the $L^2$ norm of the Higgs field as a Morse function, we study the moduli spaces of $U(p,q)$-Higgs bundles over a Riemann surface. We require that the genus of the surface be at least two, but place no constraints on $(p,q)$. A key…

This thesis contains work which appeared in several papers. Additionally to the results in the papers it contains a detailed introduction and some further proofs and remarks. The dissertation gives a description of the topology and…

We quantize pure 2d Yang-Mills theory on an arbitrary Riemann surface in the gauge where the field strength is diagonal. Twisted sectors originate, as in Matrix string theory, from permutations of the eigenvalues around homotopically…

In this paper we study the relationship between three compactifications of the moduli space of Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections on a fixed Hermitian vector bundle over a projective algebraic manifold of arbitrary dimension. Via the…

By studying spaces of flow graphs in a closed oriented manifold, we construct operations on its cohomology, parametrized by the homology of the moduli spaces of compact Riemann surfaces with boundary marked points. We show that the…