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We compute new exact analytic expressions for one-loop scalar effective actions in Kerr (A)dS black hole (BH) backgrounds in four and five dimensions. These are computed by the connection coefficients of the Heun equation via a generalization of the Gelfand-Yaglom formalism to second-order linear ODEs with regular singularities. The expressions we find are in terms of Nekrasov-Shatashvili special functions, making explicit the analytic properties of the one-loop effective actions with respect to the gravitational parameters and the precise contributions of the quasi-normal modes. The latter arise via an associated integrable system. In particular, we prove asymptotic formulae for large angular momenta in terms of hypergeometric functions and give a precise mathematical meaning to Rindler-like region contributions. Moreover we identify the leading terms in the large distance expansion as the point particle approximation of the BH and their finite size corrections as encoding the BH tidal response. We also discuss the exact properties of the thermal version of the BH effective actions by providing a proof of the DHS formula and explicitly computing it for new relevant cases. Although we focus on the real scalar field in dS-Kerr and (A)dS-Schwarzschild in four and five dimensions, similar formulae can be given for higher spin matter and radiation fields in more general gravitational backgrounds., Comment: Version 2, minor corrections and new references added, 35 pages

We present a novel study of Kerr Compton amplitudes in a partial wave basis in terms of the Nekrasov-Shatashvili (NS) function of the confluent Heun equation (CHE). Remarkably, NS-functions enjoy analytic properties and symmetries that are naturally inherited by the Compton amplitudes. Based on this, we characterize the analytic dependence of the Compton phase-shift in the Kerr spin parameter and provide a direct comparison to the standard post-Minkowskian (PM) perturbative approach within General Relativity (GR). We also analyze the universal large frequency behavior of the relevant characteristic exponent of the CHE -- also known as the renormalized angular momentum -- and find agreement with numerical computations. Moreover, we discuss the analytic continuation in the harmonics quantum number $\ell$ of the partial wave, and show that the limit to the physical integer values commutes with the PM expansion of the observables. Finally, we obtain the contributions to the tree level, point-particle, gravitational Compton amplitude in a covariant basis through $O(a_{\text{BH}}^8)$, without the need to take the super-extremal limit for Kerr spin., Comment: 18 pages, 3 figs; the helicity reversing amplitude is considered in the new version

We study black hole linear perturbation theory in a four-dimensional Schwarzschild (anti) de Sitter background. When dealing with a positive cosmological constant, the corresponding spectral problem is solved systematically via the Nekrasov-Shatashvili functions or, equivalently, classical Virasoro conformal blocks. However, this approach can be more complicated to implement for certain perturbations if the cosmological constant is negative. For these cases, we propose an alternative method to set up perturbation theory for both small and large black holes in an analytical manner. Our analysis reveals a new underlying recursive structure that involves multiple polylogarithms. We focus on gravitational, electromagnetic, and conformally coupled scalar perturbations subject to Dirichlet and Robin boundary conditions. The low-lying modes of the scalar sector of gravitational perturbations and its hydrodynamic limit are studied in detail., Comment: Version 2 has 58 pages, 3 figures, and 4 Mathematica files. Minor corrections added. Comments welcome

In this note we present some results on the convergence of Nekrasov partition functions as power series in the instanton counting parameter. We focus on $U(N)$ ${\mathcal N}=2$ gauge theories in four dimensions with matter in the adjoint and in the fundamental representations of the gauge group respectively and find rigorous lower bounds for the convergence radius in the two cases: if the theory is {\it conformal}, then the series has at least a {\it finite} radius of convergence, while if it is {\it asymptotically free} it has {\it infinite} radius of convergence. Via AGT correspondence, this implies that the related irregular conformal blocks of $W_N$ algebrae admit a power expansion in the modulus converging in the whole plane. By specifying to the $SU(2)$ case, we apply our results to analyse the convergence properties of the corresponding Painlev\'e $\tau$-functions., Comment: 1+25 pages, comments welcome

The partition function of $\mathcal{N}=2$ super Yang-Mills theories with arbitrary simple gauge group coupled to a self-dual $\Omega$-background is shown to be fully determined by studying the renormalization group equations relevant to the surface operators generating its one-form symmetries. The corresponding system of equations results in a ${\it non-autonomous}$ Toda chain on the root system of the Langlands dual, the evolution parameter being the RG scale. A systematic algorithm computing the full multi-instanton corrections is derived in terms of recursion relations whose gauge theoretical solution is obtained just by fixing the perturbative part of the IR prepotential as its asymptotic boundary condition for the RGE. We analyse the explicit solutions of the $\tau$-system for all the classical groups at the diverse levels, extend our analysis to affine twisted Lie algebras and provide conjectural bilinear relations for the $\tau$-functions of linear quiver gauge theory., Comment: 34 pages + appendices, comments welcome

In this paper we investigate a novel connection between the effective theory of M2-branes on $(\mathbb{C}^2/\mathbb{Z}_2\times \mathbb{C}^2/\mathbb{Z}_2)/\mathbb{Z}_k$ and the $\mathfrak{q}$-deformed Painlev\'e equations, by proposing that the grand canonical partition function of the corresponding four-nodes circular quiver $\mathcal{N}=4$ Chern-Simons matter theory solves the $\mathfrak{q}$-Painlev\'e VI equation. We analyse how this describes the moduli space of the topological string on local $\text{dP}_5$ and, via geometric engineering, five dimensional $N_f=4$ $\text{SU}(2)$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ gauge theory on a circle. The results we find extend the known relation between ABJM theory, $\mathfrak{q}$-Painlev\'e $\text{III}_3$, and topological strings on local ${\mathbb P}^1\times{\mathbb P}^1$. From the mathematical viewpoint the quiver Chern-Simons theory provides a conjectural Fredholm determinant realisation of the $\mathfrak{q}$-Painlev\'e VI $\tau$-function. We provide evidence for this proposal by analytic and numerical checks and discuss in detail the successive decoupling limits down to $N_f=0$, corresponding to $\mathfrak{q}$-Painlev\'e$\,\,$III${}_3$., Comment: 63 pages, 7 figures

We perform a detailed study of a class of irregular correlators in Liouville Conformal Field Theory, of the related Virasoro conformal blocks with irregular singularities and of their connection formulae. Upon considering their semi-classical limit, we provide explicit expressions of the connection matrices for the Heun function and a class of its confluences. Their calculation is reduced to concrete combinatorial formulae from conformal block expansions., Comment: 61 pages, many diagrams, 2 figures, huge list of symbols, comments welcome

We give explicit expressions for the finite frequency greybody factor, quasinormal modes and Love numbers of Kerr black holes by computing the exact connection coefficients of the radial and angular parts of the Teukolsky equation. This is obtained by solving the connection problem of the confluent Heun equation in terms of the explicit expression of irregular Virasoro conformal blocks as sums over partitions via the AGT correspondence. In the relevant approximation limits our results are in agreement with existing literature. The method we use can be extended to solve the linearized Einstein equation in other interesting gravitational backgrounds., Comment: 37 pages, 7 figures, comments welcome

We show that the non-perturbative dynamics of $\mathcal{N}=2$ super Yang-Mills theories in a self-dual $\Omega$-background and with an arbitrary simple gauge group is fully determined by studying renormalization group equations of vevs of surface operators generating one-form symmetries. The corresponding system of equations is a {\it non-autonomous} Toda chain, the time being the RG scale. We obtain new recurrence relations which provide a systematic algorithm computing multi-instanton corrections from the tree-level one-loop prepotential as the asymptotic boundary condition of the RGE. We exemplify by computing the $E_6$ and $G_2$ cases up to two-instantons., Comment: two columns, 5 pages

We study the moduli space of $SU(4)$ invariant BPS conditions in supersymmetric gauge theory on non-commutative ${\mathbb C}^4$ by means of an ADHM-like quiver construction and we classify the invariant solutions under the natural toric action in terms of solid partitions. In the orbifold case ${\mathbb C}^4/G$, $G$ being a finite subgroup of $SU(4)$, the classification is given in terms of coloured solid partitions. The statistical weight for their counting is defined through the associated equivariant cohomological gauge theory. We explicitly compute its partition function on ${\mathbb C}^4$ and ${\mathbb C}^2\times\left({\mathbb C}^2/{\mathbb Z}_2\right)$ which conjecturally provides the corresponding orbifold Donaldson-Thomas invariants., Comment: 42 pages. Comments are very welcome

We compute the ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric partition function of a gauge theory on a four-dimensional compact toric manifold via equivariant localization. The result is given by a piecewise constant function of the K\"ahler form with jumps along the walls where the gauge symmetry gets enhanced. The partition function on such manifolds is written as a sum over the residues of a product of partition functions on $\mathbb{C}^2$. The evaluation of these residues is greatly simplified by using an "abstruse duality" that relates the residues at the poles of the one-loop and instanton parts of the $\mathbb{C}^2$ partition function. As particular cases, our formulae compute the $SU(2)$ and $SU(3)$ {\it equivariant} Donaldson invariants of $\mathbb{P}^2$ and $\mathbb{F}_n$ and in the non-equivariant limit reproduce the results obtained via wall-crossing and blow up methods in the $SU(2)$ case. Finally, we show that the $U(1)$ self-dual connections induce an anomalous dependence on the gauge coupling, which turns out to satisfy a $\mathcal{N}=2$ analog of the $\mathcal{N}=4$ holomorphic anomaly equations., Comment: 41 pages, 3 figures, discussion on SU(3) results moved to a different section, added a discussion on stability in section 2 and a mathematical appendix on this subject

We study the discrete flows generated by the symmetry group of the BPS quivers for Calabi-Yau geometries describing five dimensional superconformal quantum field theories on a circle. These flows naturally describe the BPS particle spectrum of such theories and at the same time generate bilinear equations of q-difference type which, in the rank one case, are q-Painlev\'e equations. The solutions of these equations are shown to be given by grand canonical topological string partition functions which we identify with $\tau$-functions of the cluster algebra associated to the quiver. We exemplify our construction in the case corresponding to five dimensional $SU(2)$ pure Super Yang-Mills and $N_f = 2$ on a circle., Comment: 52 pages, 14 figures

We study the representation theory of the nested instantons quiver presented in [1], which describes a particular class of surface defects in four-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories. We show that the moduli space of its stable representations provides an ADHM-like construction for nested Hilbert schemes of points on $\mathbb C^2$, for rank one, and for the moduli space of flags of framed torsion-free sheaves on $\mathbb P^2$, for higher rank. We introduce a natural torus action on this moduli space and use equivariant localization to compute some of its (virtual) topological invariants, including the case of compact toric surfaces. We conjecture that the generating function of holomorphic Euler characteristics for rank one is given in terms of polynomials in the equivariant weights, which, for specific numerical types, coincide with (modified) Macdonald polynomials., Comment: References added. 56 pages. Comments are very welcome

We study the relation between class S theories on punctured tori and isomonodromic deformations of flat SL(N) connections on the two dimensional torus with punctures. Turning on the self dual $\Omega$-background corresponds to a deautonomization of the Seiberg-Witten integrable system which implies a specific time dependence in its Hamiltonians. We show that the corresponding $\tau$-function is proportional to the dual gauge theory partition function, the proportionality factor being a non trivial function of the solution of the deautonomized Seiberg-Witten integrable system. This is obtained by mapping the isomonodromic deformation problem to $W_N$ free fermion correlators on the torus., Comment: 35 pages, 7 figures

We introduce and study a surface defect in four dimensional gauge theories supporting nested instantons with respect to the parabolic reduction of the gauge group at the defect. This is engineered from a D3/D7-branes system on a non compact Calabi-Yau threefold $X$. For $X=T^2\times T^*{\mathcal C}_{g,k}$, the product of a two torus $T^2$ times the cotangent bundle over a Riemann surface ${\mathcal C}_{g,k}$ with marked points, we propose an effective theory in the limit of small volume of ${\mathcal C}_{g,k}$ given as a comet shaped quiver gauge theory on $T^2$, the tail of the comet being made of a flag quiver for each marked point and the head describing the degrees of freedom due to the genus $g$. Mathematically, we obtain for a single D7-brane conjectural explicit formulae for the virtual equivariant elliptic genus of a certain bundle over the moduli space of the nested Hilbert scheme of points on the affine plane. A connection with elliptic cohomology of character varieties and an elliptic version of modified Macdonald polynomials naturally arises., Comment: 53 pages, 12 figures

In this paper we study the extension of Painlev\'e/gauge theory correspondence to circular quivers by focusing on the special case of $SU(2)$ $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ theory. We show that the Nekrasov-Okounkov partition function of this gauge theory provides an explicit combinatorial expression and a Fredholm determinant formula for the tau-function describing isomonodromic deformations of $SL_2$ flat connections on the one-punctured torus. This is achieved by reformulating the Riemann-Hilbert problem associated to the latter in terms of chiral conformal blocks of a free-fermionic algebra. This viewpoint provides the exact solution of the renormalization group flow of the $SU(2)$ $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ theory on self-dual $\Omega$-background and, in the Seiberg-Witten limit, an elegant relation between the IR and UV gauge couplings., Comment: 40 pages, 6 figures

We compute the elliptic genus of the D1/D7 brane system in flat space, finding a non-trivial dependence on the number of D7 branes, and provide an F-theory interpretation of the result. We show that the JK-residues contributing to the elliptic genus are in one-to-one correspondence with coloured plane partitions and that the elliptic genus can be written as a chiral correlator of vertex operators on the torus. We also study the quantum mechanical system describing D0/D6 bound states on a circle, which leads to a plethystic exponential formula that can be connected to the M-theory graviton index on a multi-Taub-NUT background. The formula is a conjectural expression for higher-rank equivariant K-theoretic Donaldson-Thomas invariants on $\mathbb{C}^3$., Comment: v3: typos corrected, refs added; v4: published version

We consider the problem of exact integration of the $T\bar{T}$-deformation of two dimensional quantum field theories, as well as some higher dimensional extensions in the form of $\det T$-deformations. When the action can be shown to only depend algebraically on the background metric the solution of the deformation equation on the Lagrangian can be given in closed form in terms of solutions of the (extended) Burgers' equation. We present such examples in two and higher dimensions., Comment: 19+1 pages, LaTeX

We propose that the grand canonical topological string partition functions satisfy finite-difference equations in the closed string moduli. In the case of genus one mirror curve these are conjectured to be the q-difference Painlev\'e equations as in Sakai's classification. More precisely, we propose that the tau-functions of q-Painlev\'e equations are related to the grand canonical topological string partition functions on the corresponding geometry. In the toric cases we use topological string/spectral theory duality to give a Fredholm determinant representation for the above tau-functions in terms of the underlying quantum mirror curve. As a consequence, the zeroes of the tau-functions compute the exact spectrum of the associated quantum integrable systems. We provide details of this construction for the local $\mathbb{P}^1\times \mathbb{P}^1$ case, which is related to q-difference Painlev\'e with affine $A_1$ symmetry, to $SU(2)$ Super Yang-Mills in five dimensions and to relativistic Toda system., Comment: 32 pages, 4 figures. v2: clarifications and references added

We compute the exact path integral of $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories with general gauge group on $\mathbb{RP}^4$ and a $\mathbb{Z}_2$-quotient of the hemi-$S^4$. By specializing to $SU(2)$ superconformal quivers, we show that these, together with hemi-$S^4$ partition functions, compute Liouville correlators on unoriented/open Riemann surfaces. We perform explicit checks for Riemann surfaces obtained as $\mathbb{Z}_2$ quotients of the sphere and the torus. We also discuss the coupled $3d\!-\!4d$ systems associated to Liouville amplitudes with boundary punctures.

We describe the magnetic phase of SU(N) $\mathcal{N}=2$ Super Yang-Mills theories in the self-dual Omega background in terms of a new class of multi-cut matrix models. These arise from a non-perturbative completion of topological strings in the dual four dimensional limit which engineers the gauge theory in the strongly coupled magnetic frame. The corresponding spectral determinants provide natural candidates for the tau functions of isomonodromy problems for flat spectral connections associated to the Seiberg-Witten geometry., Comment: 26 pages, 1 figure. v3: Many clarifications and some new results on exact S-duality added. Typos corrected

We elucidate the relation between Painlev\'e equations and four-dimensional rank one ${\cal N= 2}$ theories by identifying the connection associated to Painlev\'e isomonodromic problems with the oper limit of the flat connection of the Hitchin system associated to gauge theories and by studying the corresponding renormalisation group flow. Based on this correspondence we provide long-distance expansions at various canonical rays for all Painlev\'e functions in terms of magnetic and dyonic Nekrasov partition functions for ${\cal N= 2}$ SQCD and Argyres-Douglas theories at self-dual Omega background $\epsilon_1+\epsilon_2= 0$, or equivalently in terms of $c= 1$ irregular conformal blocks., Comment: 51 pages, 2 figures

We show that equivariant Donaldson polynomials of compact toric surfaces can be calculated as residues of suitable combinations of Virasoro conformal blocks, by building on AGT correspondence between N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories and two-dimensional conformal field theory., Comment: Talk presented by A.T. at the conference "Interactions between Geometry and Physics", in honor of Ugo Bruzzo's 60th birthday 17-22 August 2015, Guaruj\'a, S\~ao Paulo, Brasil, mostly based on [arXiv:1411.2762] and [arXiv:1509.00267]. 13 pages. Version published in Journal of Geometry and Physics

We explore N=(1,0) superconformal six-dimensional theories arising from M5-branes probing a transverse A_k singularity. Upon circle compactification to 5 dimensions, we describe this system with a dual pq-web of five-branes and propose the spectrum of basic five-dimensional instanton operators driving global symmetry enhancement. For a single M5-brane, we find that the exact partition function of the 5d quiver gauge theory matches the 6d (1,0) index, which we compute by letter counting. We finally show that S-duality of the pq-web implies new relations among vertex correlators of qW-algebrae., Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures. v2: added references, corrected typos

We explore a new connection between Seiberg-Witten theory and quantum statistical systems by relating the dual partition function of SU(2) Super Yang-Mills theory in a self-dual Omega-background to the spectral determinant of an ideal Fermi gas. We show that the spectrum of this gas is encoded in the zeroes of the Painleve III tau function. In addition we find that the Nekrasov partition function on this background can be expressed as an O(2) matrix model. Our construction arises as a four-dimensional limit of a recently proposed conjecture relating topological strings and spectral theory. In this limit, we provide a mathematical proof of the conjecture for the local P1xP1 geometry., Comment: 25 pages. v3: misprints corrected,references added

We provide a contour integral formula for the exact partition function of ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric $U(N)$ gauge theories on compact toric four-manifolds by means of supersymmetric localisation. We perform the explicit evaluation of the contour integral for $U(2)$ ${\cal N}=2$ theory on $\mathbb{P}^2$ for all instanton numbers. In the zero mass case, corresponding to the ${\cal N}=4$ supersymmetric gauge theory, we obtain the generating function of the Euler characteristics of instanton moduli spaces in terms of mock-modular forms. In the decoupling limit of infinite mass we find that the generating function of local and surface observables computes equivariant Donaldson invariants, thus proving in this case a long-standing conjecture by N. Nekrasov. In the case of vanishing first Chern class the resulting equivariant Donaldson polynomials are new., Comment: 37 pages + Appendix, 8 figures. v3: accepted for publication on JHEP

We study the connection between N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories, quantum cohomology and quantum integrable systems of hydrodynamic type. We consider gauge theories on ALE spaces of A and D-type and discuss how they describe the quantum cohomology of the corresponding Nakajima's quiver varieties. We also discuss how the exact evaluation of local BPS observables in the gauge theory can be used to calculate the spectrum of quantum Hamiltonians of spin Calogero integrable systems and spin Intermediate Long Wave hydrodynamics. This is explicitly obtained by a Bethe Ansatz Equation provided by the quiver gauge theory in terms of its adjacency matrix., Comment: 70 pages, 2 figures. Invited contribution to Journal of Geometry and Physics, special issue "Instanton Counting: Moduli Spaces, Representation Theory and Integrable Systems"

We consider $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on four manifolds admitting an isometry. Generalized Killing spinor equations are derived from the consistency of supersymmetry algebrae and solved in the case of four manifolds admitting a $U(1)$ isometry. This is used to explicitly compute the supersymmetric path integral on $S^2\times S^2$ via equivariant localization. The building blocks of the resulting partition function are shown to contain the three point functions and the conformal blocks of Liouville Gravity., Comment: 48+1 pages, no figures; v2. typos corrected, comments and refs added; v3 JHEP version

We show that the exact partition function of U(N) six-dimensional gauge theory with eight supercharges on C^2 x S^2 provides the quantization of the integrable system of hydrodynamic type known as gl(N) periodic Intermediate Long Wave (ILW). We characterize this system as the hydrodynamic limit of elliptic Calogero-Moser integrable system. We compute the Bethe equations from the effective gauged linear sigma model on S^2 with target space the ADHM instanton moduli space, whose mirror computes the Yang-Yang function of gl(N) ILW. The quantum Hamiltonians are given by the local chiral ring observables of the six-dimensional gauge theory. As particular cases, these provide the gl(N) Benjamin-Ono and Korteweg-de Vries quantum Hamiltonians. In the four dimensional limit, we identify the local chiral ring observables with the conserved charges of Heisenberg plus W_N algebrae, thus providing a gauge theoretical proof of AGT correspondence., Comment: 1 + 34 pages; v2: typos corrected

We provide an M-theory geometric set-up to describe four-dimensional N=1 gauge theories. This is realized by a generalization of Hitchin's equation. This framework encompasses a rich class of theories including superconformal and confining ones. We show how the spectral data of the generalized Hitchin's system encode the infrared properties of the gauge theory in terms of N=1 curves. For N=1 deformations of N=2 theories in class S, we show how the superpotential is encoded in an appropriate choice of boundary conditions at the marked points in different S-duality frames. We elucidate our approach in a number of cases -- including Argyres-Douglas points, confining phases and gaugings of T_N theories -- and display new results for linear and generalized quivers., Comment: 58 pages, 6 figures; v2: typos corrected and references added

In this paper we identify the problem of equivariant vortex counting in a $(2,2)$ supersymmetric two dimensional quiver gauged linear sigma model with that of computing the equivariant Gromov-Witten invariants of the GIT quotient target space determined by the quiver. We provide new contour integral formulae for the ${\cal I}$ and ${\cal J}$-functions encoding the equivariant quantum cohomology of the target space. Its chamber structure is shown to be encoded in the analytical properties of the integrand. This is explained both via general arguments and by checking several key cases. We show how several results in equivariant Gromov-Witten theory follow just by deforming the integration contour. In particular we apply our formalism to compute Gromov-Witten invariants of the $\mathbb{C}^3/\mathbb{Z}_n$ orbifold, of the Uhlembeck (partial) compactification of the moduli space of instantons on $\mathbb {C}^2$ and of $A_n$ and $D_n$ singularities both in the orbifold and resolved phases. Moreover, we analyse dualities of quantum cohomology rings of holomorphic vector bundles over Grassmannians, which are relevant to BPS Wilson loop algebrae., Comment: 44 pages, no figures: v2 version to appear in Comm. Math. Phys., a new section added

We perform an exact computation of the gauged linear sigma model associated to a D1-D5 brane system on a resolved A_1 singularity. This is accomplished via supersymmetric localization on the blown-up two-sphere. We show that in the blow-down limit C^2/Z_2 the partition function reduces to the Nekrasov partition function evaluating the equivariant volume of the instanton moduli space. For finite radius we obtain a tower of world-sheet instanton corrections, that we identify with the equivariant Gromov-Witten invariants of the ADHM moduli space. We show that these corrections can be encoded in a deformation of the Seiberg-Witten prepotential. From the mathematical viewpoint, the D1-D5 system under study displays a twofold nature: the D1-branes viewpoint captures the equivariant quantum cohomology of the ADHM instanton moduli space in the Givental formalism, and the D5-branes viewpoint is related to higher rank equivariant Donaldson-Thomas invariants of P^1 x C^2., Comment: 30+1 pages;v2: references added;v3: added comments, version to appear in JHEP

We compute the Nekrasov partition function of gauge theories on the (resolved) toric singularities C^2/\Gamma in terms of blow-up formulae. We discuss the expansion of the partition function in the \epsilon_1,\epsilon_2 \to 0 limit along with its modular properties and how to derive them from the M-theory perspective. On the two-dimensional conformal field theory side, our results can be interpreted in terms of representations of the direct sum of Heisenberg plus W_N-algebrae with suitable central charges, which can be computed from the fan of the resolved toric variety.We provide a check of this correspondence by computing the central charge of the two-dimensional theory from the anomaly polynomial of M5-brane theory. Upon using the AGT correspondence our results provide a candidate for the conformal blocks and three-point functions of a class of the two-dimensional CFTs which includes parafermionic theories., Comment: 33 pages, 1 figure; v2: discussions on U(1) gauge theory and Frenkel-Kac construction have been added in section 5.1, and typos corrected; v3: published version; v4: typos corrected

We study N=2 supersymmetric SU(2) gauge theories coupled to non-Lagrangian superconformal field theories induced by compactifying the six dimensional A_1 (2,0) theory on Riemann surfaces with irregular punctures. These are naturally associated to Hitchin systems with wild ramification whose spectral curves provide the relevant Seiberg-Witten geometries. We propose that the prepotential of these gauge theories on the Omega-background can be obtained from the corresponding irregular conformal blocks on the Riemann surfaces via a generalization of the coherent state construction to the case of higher order singularities., Comment: 34 pages; v2. typos corrected

We present a relation between N=2 quiver gauge theories on the ALE space O_{P^1}(-2) and correlators of N=1 super Liouville conformal field theory, providing checks in the case of punctured spheres and tori. We derive a blow-up formula for the full Nekrasov partition function and show that, up to a U(1) factor, the N=2^* instanton partition function is given by the product of the character of \hat{SU}(2)_2 times the super Virasoro conformal block on the torus with one puncture. Moreover, we match the perturbative gauge theory contribution with super Liouville three-point functions., Comment: 24 pages; v2: published version

We analyze conformal blocks with multiple (semi-)degenerate field insertions in Liouville/Toda conformal field theories an show that their vector space is fully reproduced by the four-dimensional limit of open topological string amplitudes on the strip with generic boundary conditions associated to a suitable quiver gauge theory. As a byproduct we identify the non-abelian vortex partition function with a specific fusion channel of degenerate conformal blocks., Comment: 25pages,11figures

We provide evidence that the conformal blocks of N=1 super Liouville conformal field theory are described in terms of the SU(2) Nekrasov partition function on the ALE space O_{P^1}(-2)., Comment: 10 pages

We study the quantization of Hitchin systems in terms of beta-deformations of generalized matrix models related to conformal blocks of Liouville theory on punctured Riemann surfaces. We show that in a suitable limit, corresponding to the Nekrasov-Shatashvili one, the loop equations of the matrix model reproduce the Hamiltonians of the quantum Hitchin system on the sphere and the torus with marked points. The eigenvalues of these Hamiltonians are shown to be the epsilon1-deformation of the chiral observables of the corresponding N=2 four dimensional gauge theory. Moreover, we find the exact wave-functions in terms of the matrix model representation of the conformal blocks with degenerate field insertions., Comment: 29 pages; v2. refs. added and typos corrected

We show that the vortex moduli space in non-abelian supersymmetric N=(2,2) gauge theories on the two dimensional plane with adjoint and anti-fundamental matter can be described as an holomorphic submanifold of the instanton moduli space in four dimensions. The vortex partition functions for these theories are computed via equivariant localization. We show that these coincide with the field theory limit of the topological vertex on the strip with boundary conditions corresponding to column diagrams. Moreover, we resum the field theory limit of the vertex partition functions in terms of generalized hypergeometric functions formulating their AGT dual description as interacting surface operators of simple type. Analogously we resum the topological open string amplitudes in terms of q-deformed generalized hypergeometric functions proving that they satisfy appropriate finite difference equations., Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures; v.2 refs. and comments added; v.3 further comments and typos

We study generalized matrix models corresponding to n-point Virasoro conformal blocks on Riemann surfaces with arbitrary genus g. Upon AGT correspondence, these describe four dimensional N=2 SU(2)^{n+3g-3} gauge theories with generalized quiver diagrams. We obtain the generalized matrix models from the perturbative evaluation of the Liouville correlation functions and verify the consistency of the description with respect to degenerations of the Riemann surface. Moreover, we derive the Seiberg-Witten curve for the N=2 gauge theory as the spectral curve of the generalized matrix model, thus providing a check of AGT correspondence at all genera., Comment: 19 pages; v2: version to appear in JHEP

A target space string field theory formulation for open and closed B-model is provided by giving a Batalin-Vilkovisky quantization of the holomorphic Chern-Simons theory with off-shell gravity background. The target space expression for the coefficients of the holomorphic anomaly equation for open strings are obtained. Furthermore, open/closed string duality is proved from a judicious integration over the open string fields. In particular, by restriction to the case of independence on continuous open moduli, the shift formulas of [7] are reproduced and shown therefore to encode the data of a closed string dual., Comment: 22 pages, no figures; v.2 Refs. and a comment added.

We propose some arguments supporting an M-theory derivation of the duality recently discovered by Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa between two-dimensional conformal field theories and N=2 superconformal gauge theories in four dimensions. We find that A_{N-1} Toda field theory is the simplest two-dimensional conformal field theory quantizing the moduli of N M5-branes wrapped on a Riemann surface. This leads us to identify chiral operators of the N=2 gauge theories with W-algebra currents. As a check of this correspondence we study some relevant OPE's obtaining that Nekrasov's partition function satisfies W-geometry constraints., Comment: 1 + 9 pages; v.2 refs and comments added; v3 version to appear on PLB

In this paper we analyze the problem of tadpole cancellation in open topological strings. We prove that the inclusion of unorientable worldsheet diagrams guarantees a consistent decoupling of A and B model for open superstring amplitudes at all genera. This is proven by direct microscopic computation in Super Conformal Field Theory. For the B-model we explicitly calculate one loop amplitudes in terms of analytic Ray-Singer torsions of appropriate vector bundles and obtain that the decoupling corresponds to the cancellation of D-brane and orientifold charges. Local tadpole cancellation on the worldsheet then guarantees the decoupling at all loops. The holomorphic anomaly equations for open topological strings at one loop are also obtained and compared with the results of the Quillen formula.