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We propose generating functions which encode the degeneracies and wall-crossing phenomena of $\mathcal{N}=2$ BPS structures. The generating functions have a representation-theoretic origin and are the analogs of the 1/4-BPS dyon counting formula in $\mathcal{N}=4$ theories involving the Weyl denominator formula of a Borcherds-Kac-Moody Lie algebra. A general form of the generating function is suggested based on the Lie algebra associated to the adjacency matrix of the BPS quiver whenever the BPS spectrum of the $\mathcal{N}=2$ theory admits such a description. This proposal is tested for the BPS spectrum of Seiberg-Witten SU(2) theory as well as for the $D6$-$D2$-$D0$ BPS structure of the resolved conifold which are both captured by an affine $A_1$ Lie algebra and are obtained from limits of the $\mathcal{N}=4$ generating function. The general proposal also reproduces the correct BPS spectra and wall-crossing structures for the Argyres-Douglas $A_2$ theory. We further discuss connections to scattering diagrams studied in the context of stability structures., Comment: 73 pages, 8 figures

The partition function of topological string theory on any family of Calabi-Yau threefolds is defined perturbatively as an asymptotic series in the topological string coupling and encodes, in a holomorphic limit, higher genus Gromov-Witten as well as Gopakumar-Vafa invariants. We prove that the partition function of topological strings of any CY in this limit can be written as a product, where each factor is given by the partition function of the resolved conifold with shifted arguments, raised to the power of certain sheaf invariants. We use this result to put forward an expression for the non-perturbative topological string partition function in this limit, as a product over analytic functions in the topological string coupling which correspond to the Borel sums for the resolved conifold found previously. The non-perturbative corrections to the partition function are identified with Stokes jumps of a Borel summation. They depend only on genus zero GV invariants and can be expressed entirely in terms of a single function which is introduced as a deformation of the prepotential., Comment: 34 pages, 1 figure

We study mathematical structures on the moduli spaces of BPS structures of $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories. Guided by the realization of BPS structures within type IIB string theory on non-compact Calabi-Yau threefolds, we develop a notion of BPS variation of Hodge structure which gives rise to special K\"ahler geometry as well as to Picard-Fuchs equations governing the central charges of the BPS structure. We focus our study on cases with complex one dimensional moduli spaces and charge lattices of rank two including Argyres-Douglas $A_2$ as well as Seiberg-Witten $SU(2)$ theories. In these cases the moduli spaces are identified with modular curves and we determine the expressions of the central charges in terms of quasi-modular forms of the corresponding duality groups. We furthermore determine the curves of marginal stability and study the attractor flow in these examples, showing that it provides another way of determining the complete BPS spectrum in these cases., Comment: 80 pages, 20 figures

We study the non-perturbative quantum geometry of the open and closed topological string on the resolved conifold and its mirror. Our tools are finite difference equations in the open and closed string moduli and the resurgence analysis of their formal power series solutions. In the closed setting, we derive new finite difference equations for the refined partition function as well as its Nekrasov-Shatashvili (NS) limit. We write down a distinguished analytic solution for the refined difference equation that reproduces the expected non-perturbative content of the refined topological string. We compare this solution to the Borel analysis of the free energy in the NS limit. We find that the singularities of the Borel transform lie on infinitely many rays in the Borel plane and that the Stokes jumps across these rays encode the associated Donaldson-Thomas invariants of the underlying Calabi-Yau geometry. In the open setting, the finite difference equation corresponds to a canonical quantization of the mirror curve. We analyze this difference equation using Borel analysis and exact WKB techniques and identify the 5d BPS states in the corresponding exponential spectral networks. We furthermore relate the resurgence analysis in the open and closed setting. This guides us to a five-dimensional extension of the Nekrasov-Rosly-Shatashvili proposal, in which the NS free energy is computed as a generating function of $q$-difference opers in terms of a special set of spectral coordinates. Finally, we examine two spectral problems describing the corresponding quantum integrable system.

We study the Borel summation of the Gromov-Witten potential for the resolved conifold. The Stokes phenomena associated to this Borel summation are shown to encode the Donaldson-Thomas invariants of the resolved conifold, having a direct relation to the Riemann-Hilbert problem formulated by T. Bridgeland. There exist distinguished integration contours for which the Borel summation reproduces previous proposals for the non-perturbative topological string partition functions of the resolved conifold. These partition functions are shown to have another asymptotic expansion at strong topological string coupling. We demonstrate that the Stokes phenomena of the strong-coupling expansion encode the DT invariants of the resolved conifold in a second way. Mathematically, one finds a relation to Riemann-Hilbert problems associated to DT invariants which is different from the one found at weak coupling. The Stokes phenomena of the strong-coupling expansion turn out to be closely related to the wall-crossing phenomena in the spectrum of BPS states on the resolved conifold studied in the context of supergravity by D. Jafferis and G. Moore., Comment: 65 pages, 1 figure. Typos fixed and references added. Discussion in Section 2.2 and 6.1 expanded. Definition 4.7 (Def. 28 in v1) slightly modified, strengthening the previous Prop. 40 of v1 to the new Prop. 4.20 of v2. Corollary 3.13, 4.8 and Lemma B.2 added

Motivated by the Weak Gravity Conjecture, we uncover an intricate interplay between black holes, BPS particle counting, and Calabi-Yau geometry in five dimensions. In particular, we point out that extremal BPS black holes exist only in certain directions in the charge lattice, and we argue that these directions fill out a cone that is dual to the cone of effective divisors of the Calabi-Yau threefold. The tower and sublattice versions of the Weak Gravity Conjecture require an infinite tower of BPS particles in these directions, and therefore imply purely geometric conjectures requiring the existence of infinite towers towers of holomorphic curves in every direction within the dual of the cone of effective divisors. We verify these geometric conjectures in a number of examples by computing Gopakumar-Vafa invariants., Comment: 91 pages, 22 figures

We associate to the resolved conifold an affine special K\"{a}hler (ASK) manifold of complex dimension 1, and an instanton corrected hyperk\"{a}hler (HK) manifold of complex dimension 2. We describe these geometries explicitly, and show that the instanton corrected HK geometry realizes an Ooguri-Vafa-like smoothing of the semi-flat HK metric associated to the ASK geometry. On the other hand, the instanton corrected HK geometry associated to the resolved conifold can be described in terms of a twistor family of two holomorphic Darboux coordinates. We study a certain conformal limit of the twistor coordinates, and conjecture a relation to a solution of a Riemann-Hilbert problem previously considered by T. Bridgeland., Comment: 49 pages, references added and typos fixed. Previous theorem 43 and corollary 44 revised, and the rest of the results unchanged

We study difference equations which are obtained from the asymptotic expansion of topological string theory on the deformed and the resolved conifold geometries as well as for topological string theory on arbitrary families of Calabi-Yau manifolds near generic singularities at finite distance in the moduli space. Analytic solutions in the topological string coupling to these equations are found. The solutions are given by known special functions and can be used to extract the strong coupling expansion as well as the non-perturbative content. The strong coupling expansions show the characteristics of D-brane and NS5-brane contributions, this is illustrated for the quintic Calabi-Yau threefold. For the resolved conifold, an expression involving both the Gopakumar-Vafa resummation as well as the refined topological string in the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit is obtained and compared to expected results in the literature. Furthermore, a precise relation between the non-perturbative partition function of topological strings and the generating function of non-commutative Donaldson-Thomas invariants is given. Moreover, the expansion of the topological string on the resolved conifold near its singular small volume locus is studied. Exact expressions for the leading singular term as well as the regular terms in this expansion are provided and proved. The constant term of this expansion turns out to be the known Gromov-Witten constant map contribution., Comment: 35 pages, fixed an error in Prop. 4.2, added a remark on a previous different analytic continuation of the resolved conifold free energies in Rem 4.7 and fixed several typos

We provide a direct proof of a conjecture of Brini relating the Gromov-Witten theory of the resolved conifold to the Ablowitz-Ladik integrable hierarchy at the level of primaries. In doing so, we use a functional representation of the Ablowitz-Ladik hierarchy as well as a difference equation for the Gromov-Witten potential. In particular, we express certain distinguished solutions of the difference equation in terms of an analytic function which is a specialization of a Tau function put forward by Bridgeland in the study of wall-crossing phenomena of Donaldson-Thomas invariants., Comment: 18 pages, no figures. v3: modified statement of Proposition 2; Remarks 6 and 11 added; Remark 9 expanded; and other minor corrections

A difference equation is proved for the Gromov-Witten potential of the resolved conifold. Using the Gopakumar-Vafa resummation of the Gromov-Witten invariants of any Calabi-Yau threefold, it is further shown that similar difference equations are satisfied by the part of the resummed potential containing the contribution of the genus zero GV invariants., Comment: 5 pages, typos fixed and references added

We study moduli spaces of mirror non-compact Calabi-Yau threefolds enhanced with choices of differential forms. The differential forms are elements of the middle dimensional cohomology whose variation is described by a variation of mixed Hodge structures which is equipped with a flat Gauss-Manin connection. We construct graded differential rings of special functions on these moduli spaces and show that they contain rings of quasi-modular forms. We show that the algebra of derivations of quasi-modular forms can be obtained from the Gauss--Manin connection contracted with vector fields on the enhanced moduli spaces. We provide examples for this construction given by the mirrors of the canonical bundles of $\mathbb{P}^2$ and $\mathbb{F}_2$., Comment: 26 pages. Expanded discussion in section 2. Proof of Proposition 4 was added. Typos were fixed and references added

The non-abelian Hodge correspondence identifies complex variations of Hodge structures with certain Higgs bundles. In this work we analyze this relationship, and some of its ramifications, when the variations of Hodge structures are determined by a (complete) one-dimensional family of compact Calabi-Yau manifolds. This setup enables us to apply techniques from mirror symmetry. For example, the corresponding Higgs bundles extend to parabolic Higgs bundles to the compactification of the base of the families. We determine the parabolic degrees of the underlying parabolic bundles in terms of the exponents of the Picard-Fuchs equations obtained from the variations of Hodge structure. Moreover, we prove in this setup that the flat non-abelian Hodge or $tt^*$-connection is gauge equivalent to an oper which is determined by the corresponding Picard-Fuchs equations. This gauge equivalence puts forward a new derivation of non-linear differential relations between special functions on the moduli space which generalize Ramanujan's relations for the differential ring of quasi-modular forms., Comment: References added and discussion of conformal limit revised

We study mirror symmetry of families of elliptic K3 surfaces with elliptic fibers of type $E_6,~E_7$ and $E_8$. We consider a moduli space $\mathsf{T}$ of the mirror K3 surfaces enhanced with the choice of differential forms. We show that coordinates on $\mathsf{T}$ are given by the ring of quasi modular forms in two variables, with modular groups adapted to the fiber type. We furthermore introduce an algebraic group $\mathsf{G}$ which acts on $\mathsf{T}$ from the right and construct its Lie algebra $\mathrm{Lie}(\mathsf{G})$. We prove that the extended Lie algebra generated by $\mathrm{Lie}(\mathsf{G})$ together with modular vector fields on $\mathsf{T}$ is isomorphic to $\mathrm{sl}_2(\mathbb{C})\oplus\mathrm{sl}_2(\mathbb{C})$., Comment: 19 pages

We use the polynomial formulation of the holomorphic anomaly equations governing perturbative topological string theory to derive the free energies in a scaling limit to all orders in perturbation theory for any Calabi-Yau threefold. The partition function in this limit satisfies an Airy differential equation in a rescaled topological string coupling. One of the two solutions of this equation gives the perturbative expansion and the other solution provides geometric hints of the non-perturbative structure of topological string theory. Both solutions can be expanded naturally around strong coupling., Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure

The $tt^*$ equations define a flat connection on the moduli spaces of $2d, \mathcal{N}=2$ quantum field theories. For conformal theories with $c=3d$, which can be realized as nonlinear sigma models into Calabi-Yau d-folds, this flat connection is equivalent to special geometry for threefolds and to its analogs in other dimensions. We show that the non-holomorphic content of the $tt^*$ equations in the cases $d=1,2,3$ is captured in terms of finitely many generators of special functions, which close under derivatives. The generators are understood as coordinates on a larger moduli space. This space parameterizes a freedom in choosing representatives of the chiral ring while preserving a constant topological metric. Geometrically, the freedom corresponds to a choice of forms on the target space respecting the Hodge filtration and having a constant pairing. Linear combinations of vector fields on that space are identified with generators of a Lie algebra. This Lie algebra replaces the non-holomorphic derivatives of $tt^*$ and provides these with a finer and algebraic meaning. For sigma models into lattice polarized $K3$ manifolds, the differential ring of special functions on the moduli space is constructed, extending known structures for $d=1$ and 3. The generators of the differential rings of special functions are given by quasi-modular forms for $d=1$ and their generalizations in $d=2,3$. Some explicit examples are worked out including the case of the mirror of the quartic in $CP^3$, where due to further algebraic constraints, the differential ring coincides with quasi modular forms., Comment: 56 pages

We describe a Lie Algebra on the moduli space of Calabi-Yau threefolds enhanced with differential forms and its relation to the Bershadsky-Cecotti-Ooguri-Vafa holomorphic anomaly equation. In particular, we describe algebraic topological string partition functions $F_g^{alg}, g\geq 1$, which encode the polynomial structure of holomorphic and non-holomorphic topological string partition functions. Our approach is based on Grothendieck's algebraic de Rham cohomology and on the algebraic Gauss-Manin connection. In this way, we recover a result of Yamaguchi-Yau and Alim-L\"ange in an algebraic context. Our proofs use the fact that the special polynomial generators defined using the special geometry of deformation spaces of Calabi-Yau threefolds correspond to coordinates on such a moduli space. We discuss the mirror quintic as an example., Comment: 25 pages

An overview is given of the construction of a differential polynomial ring of functions on the moduli space of Calabi-Yau threefolds. These rings coincide with the rings of quasi modular forms for geometries with duality groups for which these are known. They provide a generalization thereof otherwise. Higher genus topological string amplitudes can be expressed in terms of the generators of this ring giving them a global description in the moduli space. An action of a duality exchanging large volume and conifold loci in moduli space is discussed. The connection to quasi modular forms is illustrated by the local P^2 geometry and its mirror, the generalization is extended to several compact geometries with one-dimensional moduli spaces., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, contribution to the proceedings of the String-Math 2013 conference

We study the differential polynomial rings which are defined using the special geometry of the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau threefolds. The higher genus topological string amplitudes are expressed as polynomials in the generators of these rings, giving them a global description in the moduli space. At particular loci, the amplitudes yield the generating functions of Gromov-Witten invariants. We show that these rings are isomorphic to the rings of quasi modular forms for threefolds with duality groups for which these are known. For the other cases, they provide generalizations thereof. We furthermore study an involution which acts on the quasi modular forms. We interpret it as a duality which exchanges two distinguished expansion loci of the topological string amplitudes in the moduli space. We construct these special polynomial rings and match them with known quasi modular forms for non-compact Calabi-Yau geometries and their mirrors including local P^2 and local del Pezzo geometries with E_5,E_6,E_7 and E_8 type singularities. We provide the analogous special polynomial ring for the quintic., Comment: 55 pages, 4 figures

These are notes of a series of lectures on mirror symmetry and topological string theory given at the Mathematical Sciences Center at Tsinghua University. The N=2 superconformal algebra, its deformations and its chiral ring are reviewed. A topological field theory can be constructed whose observables are only the elements of the chiral ring. When coupled to gravity, this leads to topological string theory. The identification of the topological string A- and B-models by mirror symmetry leads to surprising connections in mathematics and provides tools for exact computations as well as new insights in physics. A recursive construction of the higher genus amplitudes of topological string theory expressed as polynomials is reviewed., Comment: 44 pages, 1 figure

We study topological string theory on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds using mirror symmetry. We compute higher genus topological string amplitudes and express these in terms of polynomials of functions constructed from the special geometry of the moduli space. The polynomials are fixed by the holomorphic anomaly equations supplemented by the expected behavior at the boundary in moduli space. We further expand the amplitudes in the base moduli of the elliptic fibration and find that the fiber moduli dependence is captured by a finer polynomial structure in terms of the modular forms of the modular group of the elliptic curve. We further find a recursive equation which governs this finer structure and which can be related to the anomaly equations for correlation functions., Comment: 56 pages, 1 figure. v2: typos corrected, eqns (3.14) - (3.16) removed, two examples added. v3: typos in (4.56) and (4.59) corrected

We explore the relationship between four-dimensional N=2 quantum field theories and their associated BPS quivers. For a wide class of theories including super-Yang-Mills theories, Argyres-Douglas models, and theories defined by M5-branes on punctured Riemann surfaces, there exists a quiver which implicitly characterizes the field theory. We study various aspects of this correspondence including the quiver interpretation of flavor symmetries, gauging, decoupling limits, and field theory dualities. In general a given quiver describes only a patch of the moduli space of the field theory, and a key role is played by quantum mechanical dualities, encoded by quiver mutations, which relate distinct quivers valid in different patches. Analyzing the consistency conditions imposed on the spectrum by these dualities results in a powerful and novel mutation method for determining the BPS states. We apply our method to determine the BPS spectrum in a wide class of examples, including the strong coupling spectrum of super-Yang-Mills with an ADE gauge group and fundamental matter, and trinion theories defined by M5-branes on spheres with three punctures., Comment: 93 Pages, 18 Figures

We study a flat connection defined on the open-closed deformation space of open string mirror symmetry for type II compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds with D-branes. We use flatness and integrability conditions to define distinguished flat coordinates and the superpotential function at an arbitrary point in the open-closed deformation space. Integrability conditions are given for concrete deformation spaces with several closed and open string deformations. We study explicit examples for expansions around different limit points, including orbifold Gromov-Witten invariants, and brane configurations with several brane moduli. In particular, the latter case covers stacks of parallel branes with non-Abelian symmetry., Comment: 38 pages, 1 figure, v2: references added

We study the BPS spectra of N=2 complete quantum field theories in four dimensions. For examples that can be described by a pair of M5 branes on a punctured Riemann surface we explain how triangulations of the surface fix a BPS quiver and superpotential for the theory. The BPS spectrum can then be determined by solving the quantum mechanics problem encoded by the quiver. By analyzing the structure of this quantum mechanics we show that all asymptotically free examples, Argyres-Douglas models, and theories defined by punctured spheres and tori have a chamber with finitely many BPS states. In all such cases we determine the spectrum., Comment: 55 pages, 32 Figures; corrected typos, added references; changed sign convention for drawing arrows in quiver (i.e. Section 2.2) for consistency

Using wall-crossing formulae and the theory of mock modular forms we derive a holomorphic anomaly equation for the modified elliptic genus of two M5-branes wrapping a rigid divisor inside a Calabi-Yau manifold. The anomaly originates from restoring modularity of an indefinite theta-function capturing the wall-crossing of BPS invariants associated to D4-D2-D0 brane systems. We show the compatibility of this equation with anomaly equations previously observed in the context of N=4 topological Yang-Mills theory on P^2 and E-strings obtained from wrapping M5-branes on a del Pezzo surface. The non-holomorphic part is related to the contribution originating from bound-states of singly wrapped M5-branes on the divisor. We show in examples that the information provided by the anomaly is enough to compute the BPS degeneracies for certain charges. We further speculate on a natural extension of the anomaly to higher D4-brane charge., Comment: 45 p

We present a detailed study of D-brane superpotentials depending on several open and closed-string deformations. The relative cohomology group associated with the brane defines a generalized hypergeometric GKZ system which determines the off-shell superpotential and its analytic properties under deformation. Explicit expressions for the N=1 superpotential for families of type II/F-theory compactifications are obtained for a list of multi-parameter examples. Using the Hodge theoretic approach to open-string mirror symmetry, we obtain new predictions for integral disc invariants in the A model instanton expansion. We study the behavior of the brane vacua under extremal transitions between different Calabi-Yau spaces and observe that the web of Calabi-Yau vacua remains connected for a particular class of branes., Comment: 62 pages; v2: typos corrected and references added

We perform a Hodge theoretic study of parameter dependent families of D-branes on compact Calabi-Yau manifolds in type II and F-theory compactifcations. Starting from a geometric Gauss-Manin connection for B type branes we study the integrability and flatness conditions. The B model geometry defines an interesting ring structure of operators. For the mirror A model this indicates the existence of an open-string extension of the so-called A model connection, whereas the discovered ring structure should be part of the open-string A model quantum cohomology. We obtain predictions for genuine Ooguri-Vafa invariants for Lagrangian branes on the quintic in P4 that pass some non-trivial consistency checks. We discuss the lift of the brane compactifications to F-theory on Calabi-Yau 4-folds and the effective couplings in the effective supergravity action as determined by the N = 1 special geometry of the open-closed deformation space., Comment: 49 pages, 1 table; v2: Appendix and references added, minor corrections; v3: discussion in sect. 2 extended, version published in Nucl.Phys.B