(2,0) theory on Taub-NUT: A note on WZW models on singular fibrations

In this note we consider the gauge field equation of motion for the dimensional reduction of the (2,0) tensor multiplet on singular circle fibrations. The fibrations are characterized by the corresponding U(1) action having a codimension four fixed point locus W. Along W, the dimensional reduction of the (2,0) receives a modification described by a WZW model. We consider the emergence of the additional degrees of freedom through the topological term in the action, which in addition to the gauge field strength involves the U(1) connection of the space-time fibration. We also consider the Taub-NUT space as a simple example of a singular fibration, and in particular consider spherically symmetric solutions for the field strength.

(2,0) theory on circle fibrations

We consider (2,0) theory on a manifold M_6 that is a fibration of a spatial S^1 over some five-dimensional base manifold M_5. Initially, we study the free (2,0) tensor multiplet which can be described in terms of classical equations of motion in six dimensions. Given a metric on M_6 the low energy effective theory obtained through dimensional reduction on the circle is a Maxwell theory on M_5. The parameters describing the local geometry of the fibration are interpreted respectively as the metric on M_5, a non-dynamical U(1) gauge field and the coupling strength of the resulting low energy Maxwell theory. We derive the general form of the action of the Maxwell theory by integrating the reduced equations of motion, and consider the symmetries of this theory originating from the superconformal symmetry in six dimensions. Subsequently, we consider a non-abelian generalization of the Maxwell theory on M_5. Completing the theory with Yukawa and phi^4 terms, and suitably modifying the supersymmetry transformations, we obtain a supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory which includes terms related to the geometry of the fibration.

BPS partition functions in N = 4 Yang-Mills theory on T^4

We consider N = 4 Yang-Mills theory on a flat four-torus with the R-symmetry current coupled to a flat background connection. The partition function depends on the coupling constant of the theory, but when it is expanded in a power series in the R-symmetry connection around the loci at which one of the supersymmetries is unbroken, the constant and linear terms are in fact independent of the coupling constant and can be computed at weak coupling for all non-trivial t Hooft fluxes. The case of a trivial t Hooft flux is difficult because of infrared problems, but the corresponding terms in the partition function are uniquely determined by S-duality.

The Weak Coupling Spectrum around Isolated Vacua in N=4 Super Yang-Mills on T^3 with any Gauge Group

The moduli space of flat connections for maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories, in a space-time of the form T^3xR, contains isolated points, corresponding to normalizable zero energy states, for certain simple gauge groups G. We consider the low energy effective field theories in the weak coupling limit supported on such isolated points and find that when quantized they consist of an infinite set of harmonic oscillators whose angular frequencies are completely determined by the Lie algebra of G. We then proceed to find the isolated flat connections for all simple G and subsequently specify the corresponding effective field theories.

Finite energy shifts in SU(n) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on T^3xR at weak coupling

We consider a semi-classical treatment, in the regime of weak gauge coupling, of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in a space-time of the form T^3xR with SU(n)/Z_n gauge group and a non-trivial gauge bundle. More specifically, we consider the theories obtained as power series expansions around a certain class of normalizable vacua of the classical theory, corresponding to isolated points in the moduli space of flat connections, and the perturbative corrections to the free energy eigenstates and eigenvalues in the weakly interacting theory. The perturbation theory construction of the interacting Hilbert space is complicated by the divergence of the norm of the interacting states. Consequently, the free and interacting Hilbert furnish unitarily inequivalent representation of the algebra of creation and annihilation operators of the quantum theory. We discuss a consistent redefinition of the Hilbert space norm to obtain the interacting Hilbert space and the properties of the interacting representation. In particular, we consider the lowest non-vanishing corrections to the free energy spectrum and discuss the crucial importance of supersymmetry for these corrections to be finite.