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The intermediate long wave (ILW) hierarchy and its generalization, labelled by a positive integer $N$, can be formulated as reductions of the lattice KP hierarchy. The integrability of the lattice KP hierarchy is inherited by these reduced systems. In particular, all solutions can be captured by a factorization problem of difference operators. A special solution among them is obtained from Okounkov and Pandharipande's dressing operators for the equivariant Gromov-Witten theory of $\mathbb{CP}^1$. This indicates a hidden link with the equivariant Toda hierarchy. The generalized ILW hierarchy is also related to the lattice Gelfand-Dickey (GD) hierarchy and its extension by logarithmic flows. The logarithmic flows can be derived from the generalized ILW hierarchy by a scaling limit as a parameter of the system tends to $0$. This explains an origin of the logarithmic flows. A similar scaling limit of the equivariant Toda hierarchy yields the extended 1D/bigraded Toda hierarchy., latex2e using amsmath,amssymb,amsthm, 30 pages, no figure; (v2) sections 2, 3 and 5 are considerably reorganized, accepted for publication

The lattice Gelfand-Dickey hierarchy is a lattice version of the Gelfand-Dickey hierarchy. A special case is the lattice KdV hierarchy. Inspired by recent work of Buryak and Rossi, we propose an extension of the lattice Gelfand-Dickey hierarchy. The extended system has an infinite number of logarithmic flows alongside the usual flows. We present the Lax, Sato and Hirota equations and a factorization problem of difference operators that captures the whole set of solutions. The construction of this system resembles the extended 1D and bigraded Toda hierarchy, but exhibits several novel features as well., Comment: 17 pages, no figure, usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,amsthm} ; (v2) minor revision, accepted for publication

Okounkov and Pandharipande proved that the equivariant Toda hierarchy governs the equivariant Gromov–Witten theory of C P 1 . A technical clue of their method is a pair of dressing operators on the Fock space of 2D charged free fermion fields. We reformulate these operators as difference operators in the Lax formalism of the 2D Toda hierarchy. This leads to a new explanation to the question of why the equivariant Toda hierarchy emerges in the equivariant Gromov–Witten theory of C P 1 . Moreover, the non-equivariant limit of these operators turns out to capture the integrable structure of the non-equivariant Gromov–Witten theory correctly.

A tau function of the 2D Toda hierarchy can be obtained from a generating function of the two-partition cubic Hodge integrals. The associated Lax operators turn out to satisfy an algebraic relation. This algebraic relation can be used to identify a reduced system of the 2D Toda hierarchy that emerges when the parameter $\tau$ of the cubic Hodge integrals takes a special value. Integrable hierarchies of the Volterra type are shown to be such reduced systems. They can be derived for positive rational values of $\tau$. In particular, the discrete series $\tau = 1,2,\ldots$ correspond to the Volterra lattice and its hungry generalizations. This provides a new explanation to the integrable structures of the cubic Hodge integrals observed by Dubrovin et al. in the perspectives of tau-symmetric integrable Hamiltonian PDEs., Comment: latex2e, amsmath,amssymb,amsthm, 29pp, no figure; (v2) final version for contribution to Boris Dubrovin memorial volume, American Mathematical Society

A conjecture on the relation between the cubic Hodge integrals and the topological vertex in topological string theory is resolved. A central role is played by the notion of generalized shift symmetries in a fermionic realization of the two-dimensional quantum torus algebra. These algebraic relations of operators in the fermionic Fock space are used to convert generating functions of the cubic Hodge integrals and the topological vertex to each other. As a byproduct, the generating function of the cubic Hodge integrals at special values of the parameters therein is shown to be a tau function of the generalized KdV (aka Gelfand-Dickey) hierarchies., 44 pages, 2 figures

The 2D Toda hierarchy occupies a central position in the family of integrable hierarchies of the Toda type. The 1D Toda hierarchy and the Ablowitz-Ladik (aka relativistic Toda) hierarchy can be derived from the 2D Toda hierarchy as reductions. These integrable hierarchies have been applied to various problems of mathematics and mathematical physics since 1990s. A recent example is a series of studies on models of statistical mechanics called the melting crystal model. This research has revealed that the aforementioned two reductions of the 2D Toda hierarchy underlie two different melting crystal models. Technical clues are a fermionic realization of the quantum torus algebra, special algebraic relations therein called shift symmetries, and a matrix factorization problem. The two melting crystal models thus exhibit remarkable similarity with the Hermitian and unitary matrix models for which the two reductions of the 2D Toda hierarchy play the role of fundamental integrable structures., 47 pages, no figure, contribution to JPhysA Special Issue "Fifty years of the Toda lattice"; (v2) Final version for publication. The last part of sects. 5.2 and 5.3 are slightly modified, and the bibliographic data are updated

A generating function of the single Hurwitz numbers of the Riemann sphere $\mathbb{CP}^1$ is a tau function of the lattice KP hierarchy. The associated Lax operator $L$ turns out to be expressed as $L = e^{\mathfrak{L}}$, where $\mathfrak{L}$ is a difference-differential operator of the form $\mathfrak{L} = \partial_s - ve^{-\partial_s}$. $\mathfrak{L}$ satisfies a set of Lax equations that form a continuum version of the Bogoyavlensky-Itoh (aka hungry Lotka-Volterra) hierarchies. Emergence of this underlying integrable structure is further explained in the language of generalized string equations for the Lax and Orlov-Schulman operators of the 2D Toda hierarchy. This leads to logarithmic string equations, which are confirmed with the help of a factorization problem of operators., Comment: 12 pages, no figure; (v2) typos in eqs. (14), (15) etc. are corrected; (v3) typos are corrected, final version for publication

This paper addresses the problems of quantum spectral curves and 4D limit for the melting crystal model of 5D SUSY $U(1)$ Yang-Mills theory on $\mathbb{R}^4\times S^1$. The partition function $Z(\mathbf{t})$ deformed by an infinite number of external potentials is a tau function of the KP hierarchy with respect to the coupling constants $\mathbf{t} = (t_1,t_2,\ldots)$. A single-variate specialization $Z(x)$ of $Z(\mathbf{t})$ satisfies a $q$-difference equation representing the quantum spectral curve of the melting crystal model. In the limit as the radius $R$ of $S^1$ in $\mathbb{R}^4\times S^1$ tends to $0$, it turns into a difference equation for a 4D counterpart $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(X)$ of $Z(x)$. This difference equation reproduces the quantum spectral curve of Gromov-Witten theory of $\mathbb{CP}^1$. $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(X)$ is obtained from $Z(x)$ by letting $R \to 0$ under an $R$-dependent transformation $x = x(X,R)$ of $x$ to $X$. A similar prescription of 4D limit can be formulated for $Z(\mathbf{t})$ with an $R$-dependent transformation $\mathbf{t} = \mathbf{t}(\mathbf{T},R)$ of $\mathbf{t}$ to $\mathbf{T} = (T_1,T_2,\ldots)$. This yields a 4D counterpart $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(\mathbf{T})$ of $Z(\mathbf{t})$. $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(\mathbf{T})$ agrees with a generating function of all-genus Gromov-Witten invariants of $\mathbb{CP}^1$. Fay-type bilinear equations for $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(\mathbf{T})$ can be derived from similar equations satisfied by $Z(\mathbf{t})$. The bilinear equations imply that $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(\mathbf{T})$, too, is a tau function of the KP hierarchy. These results are further extended to deformations $Z(\mathbf{t},s)$ and $Z_{\mathrm{4D}}(\mathbf{T},s)$ by a discrete variable $s \in \mathbb{Z}$, which are shown to be tau functions of the 1D Toda hierarchy., latex2e using packages amsmath,amssymb,amsthm, 35 pages, no figure; (v2) the title is changed and an appendix is added; (v3) texts in Introduction and Sect. 4.2 are modified, a few typos are corrected, final version for publication

The perspective of Kac-Schwarz operators is introduced to the authors' previous work on the quantum mirror curves of topological string theory in strip geometry and closed topological vertex. Open string amplitudes on each leg of the web diagram of such geometry can be packed into a multi-variate generating function. This generating function turns out to be a tau function of the KP hierarchy. The tau function has a fermionic expression, from which one finds a vector $|W\rangle$ in the fermionic Fock space that represents a point $W$ of the Sato Grassmannian. $|W\rangle$ is generated from the vacuum vector $|0\rangle$ by an operator $g$ on the Fock space. $g$ determines an operator $G$ on the space $V = \mathbb{C}((x))$ of Laurent series in which $W$ is realized as a linear subspace. $G$ generates an admissible basis $\{\Phi_j(x)\}_{j=0}^\infty$ of $W$. $q$-difference analogues $A$, $B$ of Kac-Schwarz operators are defined with the aid of $G$. $\Phi_j(x)$'s satisfy the linear equations $A\Phi_j(x) = q^j\Phi_j(x)$, $B\Phi_j(x) = \Phi_{j+1}(x)$. The lowest equation $A\Phi_0(x) = \Phi_0(x)$ reproduces the quantum mirror curve in the authors' previous work.

We briefly review a recursive construction of ħ-dependent solutions of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili hierarchy. We give recurrence relations for the coefficients Xn of an ħ-expansion of the operator X = X 0 + ħX 1 + ħ 2 X 2 + ... for which the dressing operator W is expressed in the exponential form W = eX/ħ. The wave function Ψ associated with W turns out to have the WKB (Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin) form Ψ = eS/kh, and the coefficients Sn of the ħ-expansion S = S 0 + ħS 1 + ħ 2 S 2 + ... are also determined by a set of recurrence relations. We use this WKB form to show that the associated tau function has an ħ-expansion of the form log τ = ħ−2 F 0 + ħ−1 F 1 + F 2 + ....

The generating function of double Hurwitz numbers is known to become a tau function of the Toda hierarchy. The associated Lax and Orlov-Schulman operators turn out to satisfy a set of generalized string equations. These generalized string equations resemble those of $c = 1$ string theory except that the Orlov-Schulman operators are contained therein in an exponentiated form. These equations are derived from a set of intertwining relations for fermiom bilinears in a two-dimensional free fermion system. The intertwiner is constructed from a fermionic counterpart of the cut-and-join operator. A classical limit of these generalized string equations is also obtained. The so called Lambert curve emerges in a specialization of its solution. This seems to be another way to derive the spectral curve of the random matrix approach to Hurwitz numbers., latex2e using packages amsmath,amssymb,amsthm, 41 pages, no figure; (v2) sections are fully reorganized, a proof of hbar-expansion of the tau function is added, many typos are corrected

A construction of general solutions of the \hbar-dependent Toda hierarchy is presented. The construction is based on a Riemann-Hilbert problem for the pairs (L,M) and (\bar L,\bar M) of Lax and Orlov-Schulman operators. This Riemann-Hilbert problem is translated to the language of the dressing operators W and \bar W. The dressing operators are set in an exponential form as W = e^{X/\hbar} and \bar W = e^{\phi/\hbar}e^{\bar X/\hbar}, and the auxiliary operators X,\bar X and the function \phi are assumed to have \hbar-expansions X = X_0 + \hbar X_1 + ..., \bar X = \bar X_0 + \hbar\bar X_1 + ... and \phi = \phi_0 + \hbar\phi_1 + .... The coefficients of these expansions turn out to satisfy a set of recursion relations. X,\bar X and \phi are recursively determined by these relations. Moreover, the associated wave functions are shown to have the WKB form \Psi = e^{S/\hbar} and \bar\Psi = e^{\bar S/\hbar}, which leads to an \hbar-expansion of the logarithm of the tau function., Comment: 37 pages, no figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0912.4867

We study an extension of the Seiberg-Witten theory of $5d$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills on $\mathbb{R}^4 \times S^1$. We investigate correlation functions among loop operators. These are the operators analogous to the Wilson loops encircling the fifth-dimensional circle and give rise to physical observables of topological-twisted $5d$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills in the $\Omega$ background. The correlation functions are computed by using the localization technique. Generating function of the correlation functions of U(1) theory is expressed as a statistical sum over partitions and reproduces the partition function of the melting crystal model with external potentials. The generating function becomes a $\tau$ function of 1-Toda hierarchy, where the coupling constants of the loop operators are interpreted as time variables of 1-Toda hierarchy. The thermodynamic limit of the partition function of this model is studied. We solve a Riemann-Hilbert problem that determines the limit shape of the main diagonal slice of random plane partitions in the presence of external potentials, and identify a relevant complex curve and the associated Seiberg-Witten differential., Comment: Final version to be published in Nucl. Phys. B. Typos are corrected. 38 pages, 4 figures

A model of random plane partitions which describes five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills is studied. We compute the wave functions of fermions in this statistical model and investigate their thermodynamic limits or the semi-classical behaviors. These become of the WKB type at the thermodynamic limit. When the fermions are located at the main diagonal of the plane partition, their semi-classical wave functions are obtained in a universal form. We further show that by taking the four-dimensional limit the semi-classical wave functions turn to live on the Seiberg-Witten curve and that the classical action becomes precisely the integral of the Seiberg-Witten differential. When the fermions are located away from the main diagonal, the semi-classical wave functions depend on another continuous parameter. It is argued that they are related with the wave functions at the main diagonal by the renormalization group flow of the underlying gauge theory., Comment: 32 pages, 3 figures, typos corrected

The Landau-Lifshitz equation is an example of soliton equations with a zero-curvature representation defined on an elliptic curve. This equation can be embedded into an integrable hierarchy of evolution equations called the Landau-Lifshitz hierarchy. This paper elucidates its status in Sato, Segal and Wilson's universal description of soliton equations in the language of an infinite dimensional Grassmann variety. To this end, a Grassmann variety is constructed from a vector space of $2 \times 2$ matrices of Laurent series of the spectral parameter $z$. A special base point $W_0$, called ``vacuum,'' of this Grassmann variety is chosen. This vacuum is ``dressed'' by a Laurent series $\phi(z)$ to become a point of the Grassmann variety that corresponds to a general solution of the Landau-Lifshitz hierarchy. The Landau-Lifshitz hierarchy is thereby mapped to a simple dynamical system on the set of these dressed vacua. A higher dimensional analogue of this hierarchy (an elliptic analogue of the Bogomolny hierarchy) is also presented., Comment: latex2e (usepackage:amssyb), 15 pages, no figure; (v2) minor changes; (v3) typos corrected; (v4) errors pp. 11 - 12 are corrected

A chain of one-dimensional Schr\"odinger operators connected by successive Darboux transformations is called the ``Darboux chain'' or ``dressing chain''. The periodic dressing chain with period $N$ has a control parameter $\alpha$. If $\alpha \not= 0$, the $N$-periodic dressing chain may be thought of as a generalization of the fourth or fifth (depending on the parity of $N$) Painlev\'e equations . The $N$-periodic dressing chain has two different Lax representations due to Adler and to Noumi and Yamada. Adler's $2 \times 2$ Lax pair can be used to construct a transition matrix around the periodic lattice. One can thereby define an associated ``spectral curve'' and a set of Darboux coordinates called ``spectral Darboux coordinates''. The equations of motion of the dressing chain can be converted to a Hamiltonian system in these Darboux coordinates. The symplectic structure of this Hamiltonian formalism turns out to be consistent with a Poisson structure previously studied by Veselov, Shabat, Noumi and Yamada., Comment: latex2e, 41 pages, no figure; (v2) some minor errors are corrected; (v3) fully revised and shortend, and some results are improved

We study several integrable Hamiltonian systems on the moduli spaces of meromorphic functions on Riemann surfaces (the Riemann sphere, a cylinder and a torus). The action-angle variables and the separated variables (in Sklyanin's sense) are related via a canonical transformation, the generating function of which is the Abel-Jacobi type integral of the Seiberg-Witten differential over the spectral curve., Comment: 25 pages, AMS-LaTeX, no figure; minor changes

This paper addresses the issue of integrable structure in a modified melting crystal model of topological string theory on the resolved conifold. The partition function can be expressed as the vacuum expectation value of an operator on the Fock space of 2D complex free fermion fields. The quantum torus algebra of fermion bilinears behind this expression is shown to have an extended set of "shift symmetries". They are used to prove that the partition function (deformed by external potentials) is essentially a tau function of the 2D Toda hierarchy. This special solution of the 2D Toda hierarchy can be characterized by a factorization problem of $\ZZ\times\ZZ$ matrices as well. The associated Lax operators turn out to be quotients of first order difference operators. This implies that the solution of the 2D Toda hierarchy in question is actually a solution of the Ablowitz-Ladik (equivalently, relativistic Toda) hierarchy. As a byproduct, the shift symmetries are shown to be related to matrix-valued quantum dilogarithmic functions., latex2e, 33 pages, no figure; (v2) accepted for publication

This paper addresses the issue of integrable structures in topological string theory on generalized conifolds. Open string amplitudes of this theory can be expressed as the matrix elements of an operator on the Fock space of 2D charged free fermion fields. The generating function of these amplitudes with respect to the product of two independent Schur functions becomes a tau function of the 2D Toda hierarchy. The associated Lax operators turn out to have a particular factorized form. This factorized form of the Lax operators characterizes a generalization of the Ablowitz-Ladik hierarchy embedded in the 2D Toda hierarchy. The generalized Ablowitz-Ladik hierarchy is thus identified as a fundamental integrable structure of topological string theory on the generalized conifolds., 24pages, 1 figre (v2) accepted for publications. Some more remarks, references and an appendix are added (v3) typos are corrected

We show that various models of the elliptic Calogero-Moser systems are accompanied with an isomonodromic system on a torus. The isomonodromic partner is a non-autonomous Hamiltonian system defined by the same Hamiltonian. The role of the time variable is played by the modulus of the base torus. A suitably chosen Lax pair (with an elliptic spectral parameter) of the elliptic Calogero-Moser system turns out to give a Lax representation of the non-autonomous system as well. This Lax representation ensures that the non-autonomous system describes isomonodromic deformations of a linear ordinary differential equation on the torus on which the spectral parameter of the Lax pair is defined. A particularly interesting example is the ``extended twisted $BC_\ell$ model'' recently introduced along with some other models by Bordner and Sasaki, who remarked that this system is equivalent to Inozemtsev's generalized elliptic Calogero-Moser system. We use the ``root type'' Lax pair developed by Bordner et al. to formulate the associated isomonodromic system on the torus., latex2e using amsfonts package, 50pages; (v2) typos corrected; (v3) typos in (3.35), (3.46), (3.48) and (B.26) corrected; (v4) errors in (1.7),(1.12),(3.46),(3.47) and (3.48) corrected; (v5) final version for publication, errors in (2.31),(2.35),(3.12),(3.30),(3.45),(4.16) and (4.37) corrected

Universal Lax pairs (the root type and the minimal type) are presented for Calogero-Moser models based on simply laced root systems, including E_8. They exist with and without spectral parameter and they work for all of the four choices of potentials: the rational, trigonometric, hyperbolic and elliptic. For the elliptic potential, the discrete symmetries of the simply laced models, originating from the automorphism of the extended Dynkin diagrams, are combined with the periodicity of the potential to derive a class of Calogero-Moser models known as the `twisted non-simply laced models'. For untwisted non-simply laced models, two kinds of root type Lax pairs (based on long roots and short roots) are derived which contain independent coupling constants for the long and short roots. The BC_n model contains three independent couplings, for the long, middle and short roots. The G_2 model based on long roots exhibits a new feature which deserves further study.

We review new aspects of integrable systems discovered recently in N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories and their topologically twisted versions. The main topics are (i) an explicit construction of Whitham deformations of the Seiberg-Witten curves for classical gauge groups, (ii) its application to contact terms in the u-plane integral of topologically twisted theories, and (iii) a connection between the tau functions and the blowup formula in topologically twisted theories., Comment: 25pages, latex2e; (v2) final version for publication, minor errors corrected

The dispersionless KP and Toda hierarchies possess an underlying twistorial structure. A twistorial approach is partly implemented by the method of Riemann-Hilbert problem. This is however still short of clarifying geometric ingredients of twistor theory, such as twistor lines and twistor surfaces. A more geometric approach can be developed in a Hamilton-Jacobi formalism of Gibbons and Kodama. AMS Subject Classifiation (1991): 35Q20, 58F07,70H99, Comment: 20 pages, latex, no figures

The author's recent results on an asymptotic description of the Schlesinger equation are generalized to the Jimbo–Miwa–Mori–Sato (JMMS) equation. As in the case of the Schlesinger equation, the JMMS equation is reformulated to include a small parameter e. By the method of multi-scale analysis, the isomonodromic problem is approximated by slow modulations of an isospectral problem. A modulation equation of this slow dynamics is proposed and shown to possess a number of properties similar to the Seiberg–Witten solutions of low energy supersymmetric gauge theories.

This Letter presents a construction of isospectral problems on the torus. The construction starts from an SU(n) version of the XYZ Gaudin model recently studied by Kuroki and Takebe within the context of a twisted WZW model. In the classical limit, the quantum Hamiltonians of the generalized Gaudin model turn into classical Hamiltonians with a natural r-matrix structure. These Hamiltonians are used to build a nonautonomous multi-time Hamiltonian system, which is eventually shown to be an isomonodromic problem on the torus. This isomonodromic problem can also be reproduced from an elliptic analogue of the KZ equation for the twisted WZW model. Finally, a geometric interpretation of this isomonodromic problem is discussed in the language of a moduli space of meromorphic connections.

This paper addresses the issue of integrable structure in a modified melting crystal model of topological string theory on the resolved conifold. The partition function can be expressed as the vacuum expectation value of an operator on the Fock space of 2D complex free fermion fields. The quantum torus algebra of fermion bilinears behind this expression is shown to have an extended set of 'shift symmetries'. They are used to prove that the partition function (deformed by external potentials) is essentially a tau function of the 2D Toda hierarchy. This special solution of the 2D Toda hierarchy can also be characterized by a factorization problem of [Z x Z] matrices. The associated Lax operators turn out to be quotients of first-order difference operators. This implies that the solution of the 2D Toda hierarchy in question is actually a solution of the Ablowitz–Ladik (equivalently, the relativistic Toda) hierarchy. As a byproduct, the shift symmetries are shown to be related to matrix-valued quantum dilogarithmic functions.

Seiberg-Witten solutions of four-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories possess rich but involved integrable structures. The goal of this paper is to show that an isomonodromy problem provides a unified framework for understanding those various features of integrability. The Seiberg-Witten solution itself can be interpreted as a WKB limit of this isomonodromy problem. The origin of underlying Whitham dynamics (adiabatic deformation of an isospectral problem), too, can be similarly explained by a more refined asymptotic method (multiscale analysis). The case of $N=2$ SU($s$) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory without matter is considered in detail for illustration. The isomonodromy problem in this case is closely related to the third Painlev\'e equation and its multicomponent analogues. An implicit relation to $t\tbar$ fusion of topological sigma models is thereby expected., Comment: Several typos are corrected, and a few sentenses are altered. 19 pp + a list of corrections (page 20), LaTeX

The dispersionless Toda hierarchy turns out to lie in the heart of a recently proposed Landau-Ginzburg formulation of two-dimensional string theory at self-dual compactification radius. The dynamics of massless tachyons with discrete momenta is shown to be encoded into the structure of a special solution of this integrable hierarchy. This solution is obtained by solving a Riemann-Hilbert problem. Equivalence to the tachyon dynamics is proven by deriving recursion relations of tachyon correlation functions in the machinery of the dispersionless Toda hierarchy. Fundamental ingredients of the Landau-Ginzburg formulation, such as Landau-Ginzburg potentials and tachyon Landau-Ginzburg fields, are translated into the language of the Lax formalism. Furthermore, a wedge algebra is pointed out to exist behind the Riemann-Hilbert problem, and speculations on its possible role as generators of ``extra'' states and fields are presented., LaTeX 21 pages, KUCP-0067 (typos are corrected and a brief note is added)

The closed topological vertex is the simplest ``off-strip'' case of non-compact toric Calabi-Yau threefolds with acyclic web diagrams. By the diagrammatic method of topological vertex, open string amplitudes of topological string theory therein can be obtained by gluing a single topological vertex to an ``on-strip'' subdiagram of the tree-like web diagram. If non-trivial partitions are assigned to just two parallel external lines of the web diagram, the amplitudes can be calculated with the aid of techniques borrowed from the melting crystal models. These amplitudes are thereby expressed as matrix elements, modified by simple prefactors, of an operator product on the Fock space of 2D charged free fermions. This fermionic expression can be used to derive $q$-difference equations for generating functions of special subsets of the amplitudes. These $q$-difference equations may be interpreted as the defining equation of a quantum mirror curve., Comment: latex2e, package amsmath,amssymb,amsthm,graphicx, 10 figures; (v2) Typos are corrected, the beginning of "Introduction'' is slightly expanded, and "Remark 5" is added in the end of Section 6

Recently Strachan introduced a Moyal algebraic deformation of selfdual gravity, replacing a Poisson bracket of the Plebanski equation by a Moyal bracket. The dressing operator method in soliton theory can be extended to this Moyal algebraic deformation of selfdual gravity. Dressing operators are defined as Laurent series with coefficients in the Moyal (or star product) algebra, and turn out to satisfy a factorization relation similar to the case of the KP and Toda hierarchies. It is a loop algebra of the Moyal algebra (i.e., of a $W_\infty$ algebra) and an associated loop group that characterize this factorization relation. The nonlinear problem is linearized on this loop group and turns out to be integrable., Comment: 10 pages, Kyoto University KUCP-0054/92

We study the thermodynamic limit of random partition models for the instanton sum of 4D and 5D supersymmetric U(1) gauge theories deformed by some physical observables. The physical observables correspond to external potentials in the statistical model. The partition function is reformulated in terms of the density function of Maya diagrams. The thermodynamic limit is governed by a limit shape of Young diagrams associated with dominant terms in the partition function. The limit shape is characterized by a variational problem, which is further converted to a scalar-valued Riemann-Hilbert problem. This Riemann-Hilbert problem is solved with the aid of a complex curve, which may be thought of as the Seiberg-Witten curve of the deformed U(1) gauge theory. This solution of the Riemann-Hilbert problem is identified with a special solution of the dispersionless Toda hierarchy that satisfies a pair of generalized string equations. The generalized string equations for the 5D gauge theory are shown to be related to hidden symmetries of the statistical model. The prepotential and the Seiberg-Witten differential are also considered., latex2e using amsmath,amssymb,amsthm packages, 55 pages, no figure; (v2) typos corrected

The quantum torus algebra plays an important role in a special class of solutions of the Toda hierarchy. Typical examples are the solutions related to the melting crystal model of topological strings and 5D SUSY gauge theories. The quantum torus algebra is realized by a 2D complex free fermion system that underlies the Toda hierarchy, and exhibits mysterious "shift symmetries". This article is based on collaboration with Toshio Nakatsu., Comment: latex2e using packages amsmath,amssymb,amsthm, 6 pages, no figure, contribution to "19th International Colloquium on Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries"

We review the notion of differential Fay identities and demonstrate, through case studies, its new role in integrable hierarchies of the KP type. These identities are known to be a convenient tool for deriving dispersionless Hirota equations. We show that differential (or, in the case of the Toda hierarchy, difference) Fay identities play a more fundamental role. Namely, they are nothing but a generating functional expression of the full set of auxiliary linear equations, hence substantially equivalent to the integrable hierarchies themselves. These results are illustrated for the KP, Toda, BKP and DKP hierarchies. As a byproduct, we point out some new features of the DKP hierarchy and its dispersionless limit.

A universal integrable hierarchy underlying topological Landau-Ginzburg models of D-tye is presented. Like the dispersionless Toda hierarchy, the new hierarchy has two distinct (``positive" and ``negative") set of flows. Special solutions corresponding to topological Landau-Ginzburg models of D-type are characterized by a Riemann-Hilbert problem, which can be converted into a generalized hodograph transformation. This construction gives an embedding of the finite dimensional small phase space of these models into the full space of flows of this hierarchy. One of flat coordinates in the small phase space turns out to be identical to the first ``negative" time variable of the hierarchy, whereas the others belong to the ``positive" flows., 14 pages, Kyoto University KUCP-0061/93

Previous results on quasi-classical limit of the KP hierarchy and its W-infinity symmetries are extended to the Toda hierarchy. The Planck constant $\hbar$ now emerges as the spacing unit of difference operators in the Lax formalism. Basic notions, such as dressing operators, Baker-Akhiezer functions and tau function, are redefined. $W_{1+\infty}$ symmetries of the Toda hierarchy are realized by suitable rescaling of the Date-Jimbo-Kashiara-Miwa vertex operators. These symmetries are contracted to $w_{1+\infty}$ symmetries of the dispersionless hierarchy through their action on the tau function. (A few errors in the earlier version is corrected.), Comment: 14 pages, Kyoto University KUCP-0057/93

Previous results on quasi-classical limit of the KP and Toda hierarchies are now extended to the BKP hierarchy. Basic tools such as the Lax representation, the Baker-Akhiezer function and the tau function are reformulated so as to fit into the analysis of quasi-classical limit. Two subalgebras $\WB_{1+\infty}$ and $\wB_{1+\infty}$ of the W-infinity algebras $W_{1+\infty}$ and $w_{1+\infty}$ are introduced as fundamental Lie algebras of the BKP hierarchy and its quasi-classical limit, the dispersionless BKP hierarchy. The quantum W-infinity algebra $\WB_{1+\infty}$ emerges in symmetries of the BKP hierarchy. In quasi-classical limit, these $\WB_{1+\infty}$ symmetries are shown to be contracted into $\wB_{1+\infty}$ symmetries of the dispersionless BKP hierarchy., 12 pages, Kyoto University KUCP-0058/93

Recent work of Foda and his group on a connection between classical integrable hierarchies (the KP and 2D Toda hierarchies) and some quantum integrable systems (the 6-vertex model with DWBC, the finite XXZ chain of spin 1/2, the phase model on a finite chain, etc.) is reviewed. Some additional information on this issue is also presented., Comment: latex2e, using ws-procs9x6 package, 19 pages, contribution to the festschrift volume for the 60th anniversary of Tetsuji Miwa

The notion of non-degenerate solutions for the dispersionless Toda hierarchy is generalized to the universal Whitham hierarchy of genus zero with $M+1$ marked points. These solutions are characterized by a Riemann-Hilbert problem (generalized string equations) with respect to two-dimensional canonical transformations, and may be thought of as a kind of general solutions of the hierarchy. The Riemann-Hilbert problem contains $M$ arbitrary functions $H_a(z_0,z_a)$, $a = 1,...,M$, which play the role of generating functions of two-dimensional canonical transformations. The solution of the Riemann-Hilbert problem is described by period maps on the space of $(M+1)$-tuples $(z_\alpha(p) : \alpha = 0,1,...,M)$ of conformal maps from $M$ disks of the Riemann sphere and their complements to the Riemann sphere. The period maps are defined by an infinite number of contour integrals that generalize the notion of harmonic moments. The $F$-function (free energy) of these solutions is also shown to have a contour integral representation., Comment: latex2e, using amsmath, amssym and amsthm packages, 32 pages, no figure

This is a review of the authors' recent results on an integrable structure of the melting crystal model with external potentials. The partition function of this model is a sum over all plane partitions (3D Young diagrams). By the method of transfer matrices, this sum turns into a sum over ordinary partitions (Young diagrams), which may be thought of as a model of q -deformed random partitions. This model can be further translated to the language of a complex fermion system. A fermionic realization of the quantum torus Lie algebra is shown to underlie therein. With the aid of hidden symmetry of this Lie algebra, the partition function of the melting crystal model turns out to coincide, up to a simple factor, with a tau function of the 1D Toda hierarchy. Some related issues on 4D and 5D supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories, topological strings and the 2D Toda hierarchy are briefly discussed., Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, using amsmath,amssymb,amsthm,graphicx packages, contribution to proceedings of workshop "New developments in Algebraic Geometry, Integrable Systems and Mirror symmetry" (RIMS, January 2008); (v2) typo in ref. 12 corrected along with new information; (v3) typos on pp. 5, 13 and 14 corrected; (v4) final version for publication

An analogue of the KP hierarchy, the SDiff(2) KP hierarchy, related to the group of area-preserving diffeomorphisms on a cylinder is proposed. An improved Lax formalism of the KP hierarchy is shown to give a prototype of this new hierarchy. Two important potentials, $S$ and $\tau$, are introduced. The latter is a counterpart of the tau function of the ordinary KP hierarchy. A Riemann-Hilbert problem relative to the group of area-diffeomorphisms gives a twistor theoretical description (nonlinear graviton construction) of general solutions. A special family of solutions related to topological minimal models are identified in the framework of the Riemann-Hilbert problem. Further, infinitesimal symmetries of the hierarchy are constructed. At the level of the tau function, these symmetries obey anomalous commutation relations, hence leads to a central extension of the algebra of infinitesimal area-preserving diffeomorphisms (or of the associated Poisson algebra)., Comment: 34 pages (errors in earlier and published versions are corrected)

This paper explores integrable structures of a generalized melting crystal model that has two $q$-parameters $q_1,q_2$. This model, like the ordinary one with a single $q$-parameter, is formulated as a model of random plane partitions (or, equivalently, random 3D Young diagrams). The Boltzmann weight contains an infinite number of external potentials that depend on the shape of the diagonal slice of plane partitions. The partition function is thereby a function of an infinite number of coupling constants $t_1,t_2,...$ and an extra one $Q$. There is a compact expression of this partition function in the language of a 2D complex free fermion system, from which one can see the presence of a quantum torus algebra behind this model. The partition function turns out to be a tau function (times a simple factor) of two integrable structures simultaneously. The first integrable structure is the bigraded Toda hierarchy, which determine the dependence on $t_1,t_2,...$. This integrable structure emerges when the $q$-parameters $q_1,q_2$ take special values. The second integrable structure is a $q$-difference analogue of the 1D Toda equation. The partition function satisfies this $q$-difference equation with respect to $Q$. Unlike the bigraded Toda hierarchy, this integrable structure exists for any values of $q_1,q_2$., 27 pages, no figure, latex2e(package amsmath,amssymb,amsthm); (v2) typos in eq. (62) and the next equation corrected, version accepted for publication

A continuum limit of the Toda lattice field theory, called the SDiff(2) Toda equation, is shown to have a Lax formalism and an infinite hierarchy of higher flows. The Lax formalism is very similar to the case of the self-dual vacuum Einstein equation and its hyper-K\"ahler version, however now based upon a symplectic structure and the group SDiff(2) of area preserving diffeomorphisms on a cylinder $S^1 \times \R$. An analogue of the Toda lattice tau function is introduced. The existence of hidden SDiff(2) symmetries are derived from a Riemann-Hilbert problem in the SDiff(2) group. Symmetries of the tau function turn out to have commutator anomalies, hence give a representation of a central extension of the SDiff(2) algebra., Comment: 16 pages (``vanilla.sty" is attatched to the end of this file after ``\bye" command)