# Untitled Document

HUTP-98/A070 hep-th/9812127 

M-Theory and Topological Strings–II

Rajesh Gopakumar <sup>1</sup> gopakumr@tomonaga.harvard.eduand Cumrun Vafa <sup>2</sup> vafa@string.harvard.edu

Lyman Laboratory of Physics

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138

It is shown how the topological string amplitudes encode the BPS structure of wrapped M2 branes in M-theory compactification on Calabi-Yau threefolds. This in turn is related to a twisted supersymmetric index in 5 dimensions which receives contribution only from BPS states. The spin dependence of BPS states in 5 dimensions is captured by the string coupling constant dependence of topological string amplitudes.

December 1998

1. Introduction

Topological string theories  are among the most beautiful and simple string theories. In particular in connection with target space being Calabi-Yau 3-folds they have a rich structure. Their definition (in the A-model) involves summing over holomorphic maps from worldsheets to the Calabi-Yau 3-fold. In this sense, they seem to be related to counting some BPS 2-brane states, such as M2/D2 branes in M/IIA compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefold. A natural question is to find the precise connection between the BPS content involving M2/D2 branes and the topological string amplitudes. One aim of the present paper is to make this connection more precise. The key ingredient in this connection is the reinterpretation of topological string amplitudes on Calabi-Yau threefolds as computing particular F-terms in $`N=2`$ supersymmetric theories in 4 dimensions . Our basic strategy is to find the contribution of BPS states to F-terms and thus read off the BPS content of topological string amplitudes. Some steps in this direction had already been taken in .

This paper is a continuation of our previous paper  where we considered the contribution of the simplest BPS states to the topological string amplitudes. In that paper it was useful to view the D2 brane BPS content of Type IIA on Calabi-Yau 3-fold, from M-theory perspective compactified on the same Calabi-Yau times a circle. The momentum modes around the circle were crucial in reading off from the M2 brane spectrum, the structure of D2/D0 brane contribution. Similarly in this paper, we find that the M-theory perspective is useful. In fact this link is even more important in connection with the present paper: It turns out that off shell quantum field content of BPS states in type IIA string is necessary in order to evaluate their contribution to topological string amplitudes. On the other hand the D2 brane bound state quantum numbers do not yield the corresponding off shell quantum field. Whereas, the M2 brane on shell state, will give rise to the corresponding off shell field in 4 dimensions. It is this link between M-theory and type IIA BPS states which proves crucial for connecting topological string amplitudes to BPS structure of M-theory on CY threefold. Along the way we introduce a generalized supersymmetric index in 5 dimensions, somewhat analogous to similar objects introduced in 2 dimensions , which captures the BPS content of the theory.

The organization of the paper is as follows: In section 2 we show how to compute the contribution of a single BPS state in 4 dimensional compactification of type IIA strings to topological string amplitudes. This turns out to be a straightforward one loop computation generalizing Schwinger’s computation to this setup. In section 3 we connect the M-theory content of BPS states with those of type IIA and use that to rewrite the topological string amplitudes in terms of BPS content of M-theory in 5 dimensions. This section contains the main result of this paper. In section 4 we show how in some cases one can compute the BPS spectrum explicitly, by studying M2/D2 branes wrapped over a genus $`g`$ Riemann surface in Calabi-Yau.

2. Schwinger Re-interpretation of Topological String Amplitudes

Topological A-model string amplitude at genus $`g`$ roughly speaking computes the weighted sum over holomorphic maps from a Riemann surface of genus $`g`$ to a Calabi-Yau threefold:

$$F_g(t_i)=\underset{\mathrm{Hol}.\mathrm{Maps}.}{}\mathrm{exp}(2\pi A)$$

where $`A=n_it_i`$ denotes the area of the surface in the Calabi-Yau $`M`$ relative to a (complexified) Kahler form parameterized by $`t_i`$ in terms of a choice of $`H_2(M)`$ and $`n_i`$ denotes the $`H_2`$ class of the image. The sum over the holomorphic curves in the above is sometimes replaced by an appropriate integral when there are families of holomorphic curves. The topological string amplitudes compute corrections of the form $`F_g(t_i)R_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$ in type IIA compactifications on a Calabi-Yau , where $`R_+`$ and $`F_+`$ denote the self-dual parts of Riemann and graviphoton field strengths<sup>3</sup> This is strictly speaking valid for $`g>0`$, however our expressions continue to be valid also for $`g=0`$ when they are appropriately interpreted as computing prepotential terms in the corresponding $`N=2`$ theory.. It is natural to consider giving vev to $`F_+=F`$ and denoting $`g_sF=\lambda `$. Then the topological string partition function defined as

$$F(\lambda ,t_i)=\underset{g}{}\lambda ^{2g2}F_g(t_i)$$

can be viewed as computing the correction of the form $`F(\lambda ,t_i)R_+^2`$ in type IIA compactification on a Calabi-Yau threefold.

It is well known that these amplitudes do not receive any further perturbative or even non-perturbative string correction beyond genus $`g`$ (due to the decoupling of the dilaton, which is in a hypermultiplet, from kahler moduli which are in vector multiplets). Thus one can evaluate them at strong coupling, in which case one would expect the dominant contribution to come from light D-brane bound states. Moreover, due to the fact that it is an F-type term, one expects this to receive contribution only from BPS states involving D-branes. In the limit of a large volume Calabi-Yau, the relevant D-brane states would be D2 branes wrapped around cycles, bound to D0 branes. The effect of integrating these fields out should be to reproduce the above amplitude. Given the minimal couplings of these fields to supergravity multiplets, one is thus reduced to doing a one loop computation with bound states of D-branes going around the loop with emission of graviphoton and graviton fields.

It is crucial to note that the contribution of the fields at one loop will depend on their off-shell quantum fields (see e.g. ). In particular knowing the $`SO(4)=SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R`$ Lorentz group content of the fields is necessary. An $`N=2`$ BPS state is represented by a field content of the form

$$[(\frac{1}{2},0)2(0,0)]\underset{j_1,j_2}{}N_{j_1,j_2}(j_1,j_2)$$

for some integers $`N_{j_1,j_2}`$. Before computing the contribution of such states, let us note what it could depend on. First of all, we can compute the contribution for each $`(j_1,j_2)`$ and add the total result weighted with $`N_{j_1,j_2}`$ to get the final result. In addition to its mass (or more precisely the BPS central term $`Z`$), the $`SU(2)_R`$ content of the fields should be irrelevant for the contribution to $`R_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$ amplitudes. The reason for this is that $`R_+`$ and $`F_+`$ by definition only couple to the $`SU(2)_L`$ quantum number. In other words, only the degeneracy and fermi/bose statistics is relevant in computing the contribution of $`SU(2)_R`$ quantum numbers. Thus, the relevant contribution is $`_{j_2}(1)^{2j_2}(2j_2+1)N_{j_1,j_2}`$ times the contribution of the state with left-spin $`[(\frac{1}{2})+2(0)][j_1]`$.

As in , the Schwinger one-loop calculation for a particle in a background constant electromagnetic field, will be a surprisingly powerful way of determining the structure of higher genus topological partition functions $`F_g`$. This is natural in view of the fact noted above that the topological string partition function arises naturally by considering constant self-dual field strength for the graviphoton field. Let us first recall Schwinger’s computation. Schwinger (see for example ) studied the case of a particle minimally coupled to a constant background electromagnetic field. Using the proper time formalism, the resulting determinant (a one loop contribution) can be explicitly evaluated. For instance, the free energy of a charged scalar (of mass $`m`$) in a constant self-dual field of magnitude $`F`$ is

$$=_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\mathrm{Tr}e^{s(\mathrm{}+m^2)}=\frac{1}{4}_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\frac{1}{\mathrm{sinh}^2\frac{seF}{2}}e^{sm^2}.$$

Note that $``$ can be expanded in powers of $`\frac{eF}{m^2}`$ – the only dimensionless combination. These terms are the quantum corrections to Maxwell’s action due to the presence of charged particles. There are in addition, non-perturbative pieces which go like $`\mathrm{exp}\frac{m^2}{eF}`$.

When the charged particle carries non-trivial spin, then the answer is modified to

$$=_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\mathrm{Tr}(1)^Fe^{s(\mathrm{}+m^2+2eJF)}=\frac{1}{4}_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\frac{1}{\mathrm{sinh}^2\frac{seF}{2}}e^{sm^2}\mathrm{Tr}(1)^Fe^{2seJF}.$$

where $`J=J_R+J_L`$ is the generator of spin angular momentum $`JFJ_{\mu \nu }F^{\mu \nu }`$.

What does all this have to do with topological string amplitudes? As we mentioned, we are really computing the $`R_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$ terms in the four dimensional effective action. As argued earlier, these should be given by a one loop computation where we integrate out D0/D2 branes. This seems like a generalization of the Schwinger computation to the case where one has both background electromagnetic and metric fields. In other words, we want the $`R^2`$ term in a heat kernel expansion in this background. This can be quite tedious. Fortunately, the answer turns out to be simple due to supersymmetry. Basically, what we find is that the effect of $`N=2`$ supersymmetry is to convert the Schwinger’s computation for the vacuum amplitude in the presence of constant electromagnetic field strength in the non-supersymmetric case, to the correction for $`R^2`$ in the supersymmetric case.

For instance, in the case of an isolated $`S^2`$, lightest states at strong coupling, other than the 0-branes, are wrapped 2-branes. The 0-branes as well as the $`S^2`$ wrapped 2-brane are BPS states in the $`[(\frac{1}{2},0)2(0,0)]`$ representation of the Lorentz group $`SO(4)=SU(2)\times SU(2)`$. The contribution of such a hypermultiplet to $`F_gR_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$ is exactly that of a charged scalar to $`F_+^{2g2}`$ in the ordinary Schwinger computation . Roughly speaking, the fermionic contribution compensates for the extra insertions of the curvature.

Thus the contribution of such a hypermultiplet to $`_g`$ is that in (2.1) (note that here $`|Z|=|m|=e`$, where $`Z`$ is the central term in the $`N=2`$ algebra)

$$\underset{g=0}{}(Fg_s)^{2g2}_g=\frac{1}{4}_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\frac{1}{\mathrm{sinh}^2\frac{sF}{2}}e^{s\frac{Z}{g_s}}.$$

which gives

$$_g=\chi _gZ^{22g}$$

where $`\chi _g=\chi (_g)`$ is the euler characteristic of the moduli space of genus $`g`$ Riemann surfaces.

Though this was evaluated in a heterotic computation in  the final answer was extracted in a field theory limit. This will help us to get the contribution of a general N=2 BPS state. Since the stringy one loop computation had particles of arbitrary spin inside the loop, we can also extract the respective contributions to $`R_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$. We might guess from our experience with the hypermultiplet that the contribution to $`R_+^2F_+^{2g2}`$ from a state with spin $`[(\frac{1}{2},0)2(0,0)][(j_1,j_2)]`$ is the same as that to $`F_+^{2g2}`$ from a particle of spin $`[(j_1,j_2)]`$ from a Schwinger computation. This will prove to be right.

Even though one can do a Schwinger computation at one loop in a field theory setup, it turns out that the one loop heterotic setup is more convenient. As already mentioned, this computation has already been done in . The fermionic zero modes at one loop absorb the $`R^2`$ fermion vertex fields and the effect of having a constant self dual graviphoton field strength is to modify the spacetime contribution to quadratic bosonic path integral on a torus with modulus $`\tau `$ (Eq. 4.13 in )

$$\begin{array}{cc}\hfill G(F,\tau ,\overline{\tau })=& \frac{\underset{i=1,2}{}DZ^iiD\overline{Z}^iexp(S+\frac{F}{\tau _2}(Z^1\overline{}Z^2+\overline{Z}^2\overline{}\overline{Z}^1)d^2\sigma )}{_{i=1,2}DZ^iiD\overline{Z}^iexp(S)}\hfill \\ \hfill =& (\frac{2\pi iF\overline{\eta }^3}{\overline{\mathrm{\Theta }}_1(F,\overline{\tau })})^2\mathrm{exp}(\frac{\pi F^2}{\tau _2})\hfill \end{array}$$

Here $`Z^i`$’s are complex bosonic fields representing spacetime variables with the usual free field action denoted by $`S`$. And $`F`$ as before, is the expectation value of the background self-dual electromagnetic field. $`\mathrm{\Theta }_1`$ is the Jacobi theta function.

This formula has a straightforward Hamiltonian interpretation which can be read off from the path integral in (2.1). The $`\lambda `$ dependent term is that from a self-dual electromagnetic field in the four dimensions labelled by $`Z^1,Z^2`$. This can also be seen from the answer in the second line of Eq.(2.1) which can be written as

$$G(F,\tau ,\overline{\tau })=F(\frac{\pi F}{\mathrm{sin}(\pi F)})^2\frac{\underset{n=1}{}(1q^n)^4}{_{n=1}(1e^{2\pi iF}q^n)^2_{n=1}(1e^{2\pi iF}q^n)^2}\mathrm{exp}(\frac{\pi F^2}{\tau _2})$$

(In comparing with the conventions we are using we should make the replacement $`F\frac{F}{2\pi i}`$.) In  only the first term was extracted as the contribution of a hypermultiplet which we saw in Eqn(2.1) . But now it is easy to read off the contribution of higher spins. Note that the spin content of an elementary BPS state in the heterotic string comes from ground state oscillators on the right-moving sector (the supersymmetric side) tensored with a tower of left-moving bosonic oscillators. In particular the spacetime quantum numbers of fields will come from the left-moving bosonic oscillators. These consist of four bosonic oscillators $`\alpha _n^\mu `$ each of which transforms according to $`[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2}]`$ representation of $`SO(4)`$. Given the fact that we have turned on only $`F=F_+`$, it is easy to see that the the denominator in the second term indicates the $`\mathrm{Tr}\mathrm{exp}(\tau \mathrm{L}_0+2\mathrm{J}_3^\mathrm{L}\mathrm{F}_+)`$ structure for the bosonic string oscillators.

So the contribution to the $`R_+^2`$ term from a general particle is given by the generalization of Eqn.(2.1)

$$\underset{g=0}{}R_+^2(g_sF)^{2g2}_g=(1)^{2j}R_+^2\frac{1}{4}_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}\frac{\mathrm{tre}^{2\mathrm{s}\mathrm{J}_3^\mathrm{L}\mathrm{F}}}{\mathrm{sinh}^2\frac{\mathrm{sF}}{2}}e^{s\frac{Z}{g_s}}.$$

where $`j=j_L+j_R`$. Since $`g_sF`$ always appears in a single combination, we will henceforth denote the product by $`\lambda `$. We will also rescale $`s`$ in all the Schwinger integrands to write it solely in terms of $`\lambda `$.

It is simple to use this to evaluate the contribution from a particle of a given spin. One just carries out the sum over the helicities signified by the trace. As already noted, only the left spin content of the multiplet is relevant for this contribution. It will turn out to be convenient to write down the contribution from the supersymmetric multiplet whose left spin content is given by $`I_1I_r[(\frac{1}{2})+2(0)][(\frac{1}{2})2(0)]^r`$. The trace over the helicities comes out simply to be $`(4)^r\mathrm{sinh}^{2r}\frac{s}{2}`$ (For $`r=1`$ one has for example $`(2e^{2s}e^{2s})`$. Thus the contribution of $`I_r`$ is given by

$$\underset{g=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\lambda ^{2g2}_g(Z)=_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}(2i\mathrm{sinh}\frac{s}{2})^{2r2}\mathrm{exp}(s\frac{Z}{\lambda }).$$

From this we see that $`I_r`$ contributes only to the topological partition function $`F_g`$ at genus $`gr`$. Moreover, the $`I_r`$ have the utility of serving as a convenient basis for decomposing any supersymmetric multiplet – a multiplet with maximum spin $`j`$ can be written as $`_{r=0}^{r=2j}\alpha _rI_r`$ for some (possibly negative) integers $`\alpha _r`$. (Also note that $`I_rI_s=I_{r+s}`$.)

The contribution to the topological partition function from such a multiplet then takes the form

$$\underset{g=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\lambda ^{2g2}_g(Z)=\underset{r=0}{\overset{r=2j}{}}\alpha _r_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}(2i\mathrm{sinh}\frac{s}{2})^{2r2}\mathrm{exp}(s\frac{Z}{\lambda }).$$

3. 5 dimensional interpretation

In the previous section we have seen how a BPS state in type IIA compactification on CY 3-fold contributes to topological string amplitudes. We also saw that the off shell $`SO(4)`$ Lorentz quantum numbers of the field describing the BPS states is necessary to find its contribution. This assignment of off shell states, which sounds unnatural for four dimensional Hilbert space, is quite natural from the perspective of M-theory Hilbert space. Recall that type IIA compactified on a CY 3-fold at strong coupling can be viewed as M-theory compactified on CY 3-fold times a circle $`S^1`$. The bound states of D2 branes and D0 branes can be viewed in this set up as M2 branes wrapped around cycles of Calabi-Yau threefold, together with a momentum around $`S^1`$. Thus the spectrum of relevant BPS states should come, from the M-theory perspective, by simply studying the BPS spectrum of M2 branes wrapped around cycles of Calabi-Yau threefold. Note that the rotation group in five dimensions is $`SO(4)`$. Thus the BPS states will have quantum numbers in terms of it. This will also yield, upon compactification on $`S^1`$ the off-shell field content of the corresponding 4-dimensional state.

Let us then consider M-theory compactification on Calabi-Yau threefold. Consider

$$I(\alpha ,\beta )=\mathrm{Tr}(1)^{2j_L+2j_R}\mathrm{exp}(\alpha J_3^L\beta H)$$

where the trace is over all massive one particle states at zero center of mass momentum. The supercharges of $`N=2`$ theories in $`d=5`$ decompose under $`SO(4)`$ spatial rotation group according to $`2(\frac{1}{2},0)+2(0,\frac{1}{2})`$. The Hilbert space forms various representations according to the action of supercharges: the long multiplets and the short multiplets which are the BPS states. The long multiplets are not killed by any of the supercharges, whereas the BPS multiplets are killed either by the $`2(\frac{1}{2},0)`$ supercharges or $`2(0,\frac{1}{2})`$. Thus the long multiplets do not contribute to the above trace due to the $`(1)^{2j_R}`$ term. Only the BPS states which are annihilated by $`2(0,\frac{1}{2})`$ survive in the above trace. In this sense this is a “supersymmetric index” which receive contribution only from BPS states, in the same sense as $`\mathrm{Tr}(1)^FF\mathrm{exp}(\beta H)`$ considered in  in connection with BPS states of $`N=2`$ supersymmetric theories in 2 dimensions. Note that this index is in particular independent of deformation of complex structure of Calabi-Yau threefold. For a given BPS state the masses depend only on the Kahler class of the Calabi-Yau metric, and so the only dependence could come from jumps. In fact it is known that when one changes the complex structure of Calabi-Yau there could be new BPS states (in other words the spectrum of bound M2 branes changes). However the change must be such that the new states created or destroyed under this operation collect themselves into long multiplets that thus do not contribute to the above index. In other words, the spectrum of BPS states by itself will change as one changes the complex structure of the Calabi-Yau, without changing the above index. In this sense, this is the more natural object to hope to be able to compute. Note that the existence of the above index is related to the fact that (only) in 5 dimensions rotating black hole configurations which preserve supersymmetry can exist .

In application to topological string it is convenient to characterize the contribution of BPS states to the above index as follows: Consider the BPS states with a fixed central charge, $`A=_{i=1}^{H_2(M)}n_it_i`$ where $`n_i`$ denotes the wrapping class of an M2 brane in $`H_2(M)`$ relative to a basis and $`t_i`$ denotes the integral of the Kahler class on the corresponding class. The mass of the corresponding wrapped M2 brane (in our normalization) is $`M=2\pi A`$. Consider the totality of all BPS states with central charge $`A`$. Note that if $`(n_i)`$ are not relatively prime this also includes BPS states coming from multiwrapped M2 branes. We arrange the totality of such BPS states in class $`(n_i)`$ according to their $`SO(4)`$ spin content:

$$[(\frac{1}{2},0)2(0,0)]\underset{j_1,j_2}{}N_{j_1,j_2}^{(n_i)}(j_1,j_2)$$

Their relevant contribution to the above index is captured by just keeping track of the total degeneracy of the right rotation group while keeping the representation for the left rotation group:

$$\underset{j_1,j_2}{}(1)^{2j_2}(2j_2+1)N_{j_1,j_2}^{(n_i)}[j_1]=\alpha _r^{(n_i)}I_r$$

where we have written the left-spin content in terms of $`I_r=([\frac{1}{2}]+2[0])^r`$, which is a convenient basis. In this way of writing $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ may be positive or negative integers. The quantity which will appear in the topological string amplitudes are the integers $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ for each class $`(n_i)`$ and each integer $`r0`$.

In going down from 5 to 4 dimensions on $`S^1`$ each BPS state can have in addition an arbitrary momentum $`m`$ around the circle. In particular each of them lead to a BPS state in four dimensions with central charge $`Z=2\pi (A+im)`$ where $`A=n_it_i`$. Using the contribution of a single BPS state in 4 dimensions with central charge $`Z`$ to the topological string amplitude (2.1), and doing a redefinition of topological string coupling constant $`\lambda i\lambda `$ to make it consistent with the conventional topological definitions, we see that we can rewrite the full topological string amplitude as

$$F(\lambda )=\underset{(n_i),r,m}{}\alpha _r^{(n_i)}_ϵ^{\mathrm{}}\frac{ds}{s}(2\mathrm{sin}\frac{\mathrm{s}}{2})^{2r2}\mathrm{exp}[2\pi \frac{s}{\lambda }(n_it_i+im)]$$

Rewriting the sum over $`m`$ using the identity

$$\underset{m}{}exp(2\pi im\frac{s}{\lambda })=\underset{k}{}\delta (\frac{s}{\lambda }k)$$

allows one to do the integral over $`s`$ and we obtain our final formula for the topological string amplitude

$$F(\lambda )=\underset{(n_i),r0,k>0}{}\alpha _r^{(n_i)}\frac{1}{k}(2\mathrm{sin}\frac{k\lambda }{2})^{2r2}exp[2\pi k(n_it_i)]$$

This formula encodes all the integrality properties of $`F(\lambda )`$ in terms of $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ which are integers. Moreover it suggests that we should view these numbers as the fundamental invariants that topological string captures. It has been known that using mirror symmetry one can essentially compute topological string amplitudes . However for every genus $`g`$ there are a finite number of undetermined coefficients which need to be fixed first. The integrality properties of (3.1) is a powerful constraint in determining these coefficients and completely computing topological string amplitudes, as has been recently demonstrated in . We will now explore some of the properties of the expression (3.1) for the topological string partition function.

We first wish to comment on the usefulness of the basis we have chosen to write the BPS states (3.1). The first fact is that $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ do not contribute to $`F_g`$ for $`g<r`$. In other words, up to a fixed genus, only a finite number of $`r`$’s contribute. The next point is that the contribution of $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ to $`F_g`$ for $`gr`$ is of the form

$$\alpha _r^{(n_i)}C_{r,g}\underset{k}{}k^{2g3}\mathrm{exp}(2\pi kA)$$

where $`A=n_it_i`$ and $`C_{r,g}`$ are some universal rational numbers (involving Bernoulli numbers). Moreover, $`C_{g,g}=1`$. This implies that if we have computed topological string amplitudes up to a given genus $`g`$, we can inductively extract all $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ for $`rg`$. In particular we can subtract out the contribution of lower $`g`$ topological string amplitudes $`F_r`$ with $`r<g`$ from $`F_g`$ and extract $`\alpha _g^{(n_i)}`$ from $`F_g`$. This encodes all the bubbling and multicovering structure that one should anticipate for topological string amplitudes. The connection between multi-covering for genus zero topological string amplitude and its M-theory interpretation was already pointed out in . The formula (3.1) applies to contribution of non-zero $`(n_i)`$. The case with $`(n_i)=0`$ has already been considered in .

4. M2 branes wrapped around genus g surfaces in CY

We have seen that topological string amplitudes can be rewritten in terms of BPS degeneracies of M2 branes wrapped around Calabi-Yau 2-cycles. In particular the numbers $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$, which can be used to rewrite the topological string amplitudes according to (3.1), capture the $`SU(2)_L`$ content of M2 BPS states in the $`H_2`$ class given by $`n_i`$. In this section we would like to study how in principle one would compute $`\alpha _r^{(n_i)}`$ by considering M2 branes wrapped around a genus $`g`$ curve in the Calabi-Yau 3-fold. It is also convenient to consider the related problem of studying the D2 brane bound states.

The worldvolume of a single M2 brane consists of $`8`$ scalars transforming as a vector representation of $`SO(8)`$ R-symmetry group, and 8 fermions, transforming as $`[s8_s]`$ where $`s`$ denotes the 3-dimensional spinor, and $`8_s`$ denotes the spinor of $`SO(8)`$ R-symmetry group. The $`SO(8)`$ group is the rotation symmetry normal to the M2 brane worldvolume. Consider wrapping the M2 brane around a genus $`g`$ curve $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g`$ in a Calabi-Yau 3-fold. Then the $`SO(8)`$ is naturally decomposed as

$$SO_J(4)\times SO_N(4)SO(8)$$

where we can identify $`SO_J(4)`$ as the rotation subgroup of the Lorentz group in 5 dimensional spacetime, and $`SO_N(4)`$ as the rotation group normal to the M2 brane in the Calabi-Yau threefold. We can decompose the $`SO(8)`$ spinor according to the breakup (4.1)

$$8_s[(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(\frac{1}{2},0)_N][(0,\frac{1}{2})_J(0,\frac{1}{2})_N]$$

where for each $`SO(4)=SU(2)^L\times SU(2)^R`$ group we have used $`(p,q)`$ to denote the corresponding $`SU(2)`$ representations. Being inside a Kahler manifold means that the $`SO(4)_N`$ holonomy resides in a $`U(2)`$ subgroup, $`U(1)_L\times SU(2)_RSU(2)_N^L\times SU(2)_N^R`$. The tangent bundle of Calabi-Yau, splits over $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g`$ to

$$T_{CY}T_{\mathrm{\Sigma }^g}N$$

where $`N`$ is a $`U(2)`$ bundle over $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g`$. Moreover, the fact that the first Chern-class of Calabi-Yau is zero, means that the determinant bundle $`U(1)_LU(2)`$ is the same as $`T_{\mathrm{\Sigma }^g}^{}`$, the cotangent bundle on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g`$.

The fields on the worldvolume of M2 brane are twisted because of the non-trivial embedding in the Calabi-Yau . Consider in particular the fermions. Before the twisting they transform under $`SO(3)\times [SO(4)_J\times (U(1)_L\times SU(2)_R)]`$ as

$$[s,[(0,\frac{1}{2})_J(0,\frac{1}{2})][(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(\pm 1,0)]]$$

If we consider the worldvolume of M2 brane to be $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g\times S^1`$, this twisting is basically adding a contribution of $`U(1)_L^N`$ charge to the holonomy. Since this is related to the $`U(1)`$ spin connection on the Riemann surface, due to (4.1), it follows that the fermions on the Riemann surface consist of the following:

$$\psi [\frac{\pm 1}{2},[(0,\frac{1}{2})_J(\frac{1}{2})]][2(0),(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(0)][(\pm 1),(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(0)]$$

where the above quantum numbers denote the helicity on the surface, the $`SO(4)_J`$ quantum number and the $`SU(2)_N^R`$ quantum number respectively (the $`U(1)_L^N`$ has been combined with the modified spin). The 8 scalars on M2, which before twisting transform according to

$$[0,[(\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2})_J(0,0)][(0,0)_J(\pm 1,\frac{1}{2})]]$$

after twisting transform according to

$$[0,[(\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2})_J(0)]][\frac{\pm 1}{2},(0,0)_J(\frac{1}{2})]$$

In finding the bound states, we need to quantize the zero modes in the above theory. Four zero modes for the scalars, corresponding to $`[0,[(\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2})_J(0)]]`$ in (4.1) correspond to the four momenta in 4+1 dimensions. The other scalars transforming as $`[\frac{\pm 1}{2},(0,0)_J(\frac{1}{2})]`$ are paired with fermions with the same internal quantum numbers. If there are zero modes for these directions, they will correspond to deformations of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^g`$ in the threefold. Let us call the corresponding moduli space $``$. Because of the pairing of the fermions with the bosons, this will give us a supersymmetric sigma model on $``$. Note that the $`SO_J(4)`$ quantum numbers of these fermions are in $`(0,\frac{1}{2})`$. In particular the $`SL(2)`$ lefshetz action on the cohomology elements of the Kahler manifold $``$ should be identified with the right $`SU(2)`$ subgroup of $`SO_J(4)`$. Finally there are the zero modes coming from the extra fermions which transform as scalars and 1-forms on the genus $`g`$ curve ( $`[2(0),(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(0)][(\pm 1),(\frac{1}{2},0)_J(0)]`$). If the genus $`g`$ surface is non-degenerate there will be $`g+1`$ such zero modes. Quantizing them gives rise to the representation whose $`SO_J(4)`$ quantum numbers are given by

$$[(\frac{1}{2},0)+2(0,0)]^{g+1}$$

Note in particular, that the $`SU(2)_L`$ content of this representation is exactly the same as the convenient basis we discussed before, namely a half hypermultiplet tensored with $`I_g`$.

If throughout the moduli space $``$ the Riemann surface remains non-degenerate, the $`SO_J(4)`$ quantum numbers of BPS bound states will be given by

$$[(\frac{1}{2},0)+2(0,0)]^{g+1}(\underset{j=0}{\overset{d/2}{}}a_j[(0,j)])$$

where the complex dimension of $``$ is denoted by $`d`$ and $`a_j`$ are determined from the $`SL(2)`$ decomposition. In particular, the contribution of this family to $`F_g`$ will be the same as the contribution of $`(1)^d\chi ()I_g`$, as the quantum number of the right $`SU(2)`$ is counted only as far as its $`Z_2`$ quantum number $`(1)^{2j_r}`$ is concerned. In other words, in this case we would have

$$\alpha _r=\delta _{g,r}(1)^d\chi ()$$

This result in particular means that an isolated genus $`g`$ curve contributes to all $`F_k`$ for $`kg`$ according to (3.1). This result has also been independently derived recently from the mathematical definition of topological strings .

However quite frequently the moduli space $``$ will consist of loci where the genus $`g`$ surface has shrunk to a genus $`rg`$ for some r. In such cases, even though in principle one can continue by studying the M-theory description of M2 bound states, it turns out to be also useful to view it from the type IIA perspective, by going down on a circle. This is also useful for the count of M2 brane bound states. As far as the total count of M2 BPS states, we can use the type IIA computation, as it is radius independent. However we will have to also recover the $`SU(2)_L`$ quantum number of states, which requires additional care discussed below.

4.1. The Type IIA Perspective

The worldvolume theory for a single D2 brane is the same as that of M2 brane except that instead of 8 scalars, one has 7 scalars and one $`U(1)`$ gauge field, which is dual to the 8-th scalar; this is a reflection of duality between scalars and vectors in 3 dimensions. As far as constructing bound states and counting zero modes of wrapped D2 branes, the story is essentially the same as that of M2 brane, except that now we have only 3 bosonic zero modes, corresponding to spatial translation in 3 directions. The effects of the momentum in the 4-th direction is now replaced by the number of D0-branes bound to the D2 brane, which in turn is given by the quantum of flux of the $`U(1)`$ field strength on the Riemann surface. Since the choice of the flux does not affect the degeneracy of the bound states we will recover the fourth momentum in this way. There is, however, one extra simplification: Now the extra $`U(1)`$ gauge field will have zero modes on a genus $`g`$ surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ and in fact will pair up with the unpaired fermionic zero mode in the M2 brane description. In other words, the moduli space $``$ of deformations of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ in the Calabi-Yau, is now replaced by $`\widehat{}`$, which is the moduli space of deformations of $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ together with a choice of a flat $`U(1)`$ connection on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$. We thus have a fiber space

$$\widehat{}$$

with fiber which is generically $`T^{2g}`$. Moreover, the number of bound states in this formulation is in 1-1 correspondence with the cohomology of $`\widehat{}`$. The spacetime rotation group is $`SO(3)`$ in this case and the $`SO(3)`$ quantum numbers of the D2 brane bound states can be read off by the Lefshetz $`SL(2)`$ action on the cohomologies of $`\widehat{}`$. Note that this $`SO(3)`$ is the diagonal $`SU(2)`$ in $`SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R`$ and we would need to read off this further decomposition from this data.

The basic idea to read off this decomposition of cohomology is to recall that $`SU(2)_L`$ refers to the cohomology in the torus direction (the Jacobian) and the $`SU(2)_R`$ refers to the cohomology in the base direction. Let us denote the base by $``$. The cohomology of $`\widehat{}`$ decomposed taking into account this decomposition to $`SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R`$ will consist of:

$$I_gR_g+I_{g1}R_{g1}+\mathrm{}+I_0R_0$$

where $`I_g`$ is the left representation defined before: $`I_k=[(\frac{1}{2})+2(0)]^k`$, and $`R_k`$ are the right representation which couple to the left $`I_k`$. These will of course depend on the $`\widehat{}`$ and its fibration structure. The fact that the highest rank $`I`$ appearing above is $`I_g`$ follows from the fact that highest differential form coming from $`T^{2g}`$ will have this spin.

The contribution of this configuration to topological string amplitudes will be given by $`\alpha _r`$ with $`r=0,\mathrm{},g`$ where

$$\alpha _k=\chi (R_k)$$

and $`\chi (R_k)`$ refers to the sum of the dimension of $`SU(2)_R`$ representations in $`R_k`$ weighted with $`(1)^{2j_R}`$. These already imply the following facts: If we consider the Euler characteristic of $`\widehat{}`$ we immediately learn using $`\chi (I_kR_k)=\chi (I_k)\chi (R_k)`$ and $`\chi (I_k)=\delta _{k,0}`$ that:

$$\alpha _0=(1)^{\widehat{d}}\chi (\widehat{})$$

where $`\widehat{d}`$ is the complex dimension of $`\widehat{}`$. In other words, the contribution to genus zero of a family of holomorphic curves is given (up to sign) by the Euler characteristic of the moduli space of the curve together with the Jacobian on it. This fact had already been used in particular to compute the Euler characteristic of moduli space of instantons on $`\frac{1}{2}K3`$  as well as resolve a puzzle in connection with the counting of black hole entropy in compactification of M-theory on Calabi-Yau threefolds . For some other applications of this result see also the recent discussion in . It is also in line with the observations in  that the euler characteristic of a Jacobian variety will localize on nodal rational curve, as one would expect from a contribution to the genus zero topological string amplitude $`F_0`$.

The structure of $`R_g`$ is also easy to predict: The fact that the top cohomology of torus makes invariant sense, implies that the left spin $`[g]`$ state will be accompanied by the full cohomology of the base. In other words $`R_g`$ can be obtained by considering the base manifold $``$ and its $`SL(2)`$ decomposition. This in particular implies that

$$\alpha _g=(1)^d\chi ()$$

where $`d`$ is the complex dimension of $``$. In the case of $`g=1`$ these two ingredients suffice to find the decomposition of the $`SU(2)`$ action on the cohomology of $`\widehat{}`$. For $`g>1`$ one would need to decompose the $`\widehat{}`$ into the cohomology of the fiber (or a sheaf theory extension of it) times that of the base. While this is standard mathematics (known as Leray spectral sequence ) the fact that the $`SU(2)`$ action on the fiber continues to make sense on this decomposition has not been considered previously. Physically we are predicting that this should be possible because of the fact that the $`SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R`$ quantum numbers of the cohomology have well defined meanings from the M-theory perspective on a Calabi-Yau threefold. It would be interesting to verify this mathematically.

It is useful to give an example of how things work. We present an example which was pointed out to us by Sheldon Katz: Consider a $`𝐏^2`$ in a Calabi-Yau threefold. Consider the contribution to $`F_0`$ from primitive degree 3 curves. This has generically genus 1. In this case the $``$ is $`𝐏^9`$. Moreover $`\widehat{}`$ can be studied by viewing it as follows: A flat bundle on $`T^2`$ can be identified with a point $`p`$ on the dual torus. Consider the image of the point $`p𝐏^2`$. The moduli space of elliptic curves passing through that point is $`𝐏^8`$. Thus $`\widehat{}`$ in this case can be viewed as a $`𝐏^8`$ bundle over $`𝐏^2`$. The cohomology of this space is the same as the product of the cohomology of $`𝐏^2`$ and $`𝐏^8`$. From what we said before we thus learn the $`SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R`$ decomposition in this case to be

$$[(\frac{1}{2},\frac{9}{2})]+[(0,3)]=[I_1,\frac{9}{2}]+[(I_0,(3)2(\frac{9}{2}))]$$

giving us $`\alpha _0=27`$ and $`\alpha _1=10`$.

4.2. Multiwrapped 2-branes

As mentioned before, for multiwrapped M2 branes on a Riemann surface in a Calabi-Yau, it is more convenient to use the D2 brane description, as that is the definition of multi-wrapped M2 branes (by taking the coupling to infinity). The field content of $`N`$ D2 branes is the same as what was noted above, except that now every field is in addition in the adjoint representation of $`U(N)`$. In general the problem of solving for the bound state will involve the study of the cohomology of the mixed moduli space of light gauge degrees of freedom on the D2 brane as well as the scalar zero modes corresponding to normal deformation of the surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ in the Calabi-Yau. This of course will in general be a complicated system to study.

To give a flavor of what new things may happen when we have multi-wrapped branes, let us consider the case where the surface $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ has no normal deformation in the Calabi-Yau. In this case the only other zero mode would correspond to the moduli of the gauge system, which in this case is moduli of flat $`U(N)`$ connections on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$. Let us call this space $`K^{g,N}`$. Viewing the gauge group as

$$U(N)=\frac{U(1)\times SU(N)}{Z_N}$$

Corresponding to this, the moduli space $`K^{g,N}`$ splits up to

$$K^{g,N}=\frac{T^{2g}\times \widehat{K}^{g,N}}{Z_N^{2g}}$$

Here $`T^{2g}`$ is the moduli of flat $`U(1)`$ connection on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$, which is also known as its Jacobian and $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ is the moduli of flat $`SU(N)`$ connections on $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$. This consists of the choice of $`2g`$ holonomies around the cycles of the “opened up” Riemann surface, up to conjugation by an $`SU(N)`$ gauge transformation, satisfying

$$\underset{i=1}{\overset{g}{}}(g_ih_ig_i^1h_i^1)=\mathrm{exp}(2\pi ik/N)$$

giving a space of complex dimension $`(g1)(N^21)`$. Here $`k`$ is the quantum of $`U(1)`$ flux through $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ which corresponds to the D0 brane charge. $`Z_N^{2g}`$ in (4.1) acts by translations by $`1/N`$ fractions along the cycles of $`T^{2g}`$ at the same time as changing the corresponding $`SU(N)`$ holonomy by an $`N`$-th root of unity. If $`k`$ and $`N`$ are relatively prime $`K^{g,N}`$ is a smooth manifold. Physically the non-smoothness when $`k`$ and $`N`$ are not relatively prime can be intepreted as corresponding to the channel available for a decay of bound states of D0 and D2 brane at threshold. To avoid such subtleties it is natural to work in the case where $`k`$ and $`N`$ are relatively prime and expect the BPS degeneracies to be valid also when they are not prime. It is also known that all the cohomological question of this space is independent of which $`k`$ one chooses as long as it is relatively prime with $`N`$.

Cohomology of the manifold $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ is known (for a recent discussion see  and references therein). Moreover it is known that the action of $`Z_{N}^{}{}_{}{}^{2g}`$ is trivial on the cohomologies. Thus the cohomologies of $`K^{g,N}`$ is the same as that of $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ times that of $`T^{2g}`$. As far as the $`SU(2)_L`$ content of the states, it follows that it is given by

$$I_gI_{\widehat{K}^{g,N}}$$

where $`I_{\widehat{K}^{g,N}}`$ denotes the representation of the corresponding bound states coming from $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$. Even though apriori the $`SL(2)`$ action is the diagonal $`SU(2)`$ of $`SO(4)`$, it is natural to believe that the full gauge degree of freedom is in the $`SU(2)_L`$ (as is the corresponding $`U(1)U(N)`$ degrees of freedom) in which case one can recover the representation $`I`$ from the known cohomology formula for $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$.

Let us now discuss some properties of $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ for various $`g`$. For genus $`g=0`$ this is an empty space for $`N>1`$. In other words there are no bound states of more than one $`D2`$ brane around $`S^2`$. For $`g=1`$, $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ is a point for all $`N`$. In other words $`N`$ D2 branes form a single bound state for all $`N`$. The same statement applies to M2 branes, and so we conclude that $`\alpha _1=1`$ and the rest of the $`\alpha _i`$ for $`i1`$ are zero for all multiwrappings. Note that this implies, from (3.1) that isolated genus 1 curves and their multiwrappings only contribute to $`F_1`$. Thus from a single isolated elliptic curve with area $`A`$, and including its bound state contribution to $`D_0`$ branes as well as its multiwrappings we get the $`F_1`$ contribution

$$\underset{n>0}{}\mathrm{log}(1\mathrm{exp}(2\pi nA))$$

in accordance with expectations from . Note also that from (3.1) there is no contribution to $`F_g`$ for $`g>1`$, in accordance with . This result has also been derived recently using the mathematical definition of topological strings .

The story is more complicated for genus $`g>1`$. The cohomologies of $`\widehat{K}^{g,N}`$ are known, and so the contribution of various $`N`$ to various amplitudes can be obtained using (3.1). At first sight a puzzle appears: Consider the contribution of an isolated genus $`g`$ curve with area $`A`$. As discussed before it follows from (3.1) that it contributes in particular to $`F_g`$. The surprising aspect of this is that it will contribute to $`F_g`$ also in the form $`k^{2g3}exp(2\pi kA)`$, suggesting that there is a multicovering of a genus $`g`$ by a genus $`g`$ curve. However this is not possible for $`g>1`$. One may have hoped, therefore that this contribution gets cancelled by the contribution of $`k`$ M2 branes bound over that surface. However it turns out that $`\chi (\widehat{K}^{g,N})=0`$ and so $`I_{\widehat{K}^{g,N}}`$ will not contain $`I_0`$ and so $`I_gI_{\widehat{K}^{g,N}}`$ will not contain $`I_g`$ (note $`I_kI_r=I_{k+r}`$). However, it turns out that multicovering of the M2 brane does have deformations to a higher genus curve. In other words multi-covering of an isolated curve is not isolated and it can deform to a higher genus surface (said differently extra scalar zero modes exist if one considers appropriate flat bundles turned on the D2 branes). Thus the relevant moduli space is not just the moduli of flat connection, but it will also include deformations having to do with a higher genus curve which does contribute to $`F_g`$. Aspects of this contribution is presently under study .

We would like to thank M. Bershadsky, S. Katz, A. Klemm, N.C. Leung, J. Maldacena, N. Nekrasov, R. Pandharipande, T. Pantev, A. Strominger, E. Witten and S.T. Yau for valuable discussions.

The research of R.G. is supported by DOE grant DE-FG02-91 ER40654 and that of C.V. is supported in part by NSF grant PHY-98-02709.

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