BPS Graphs: From Spectral Networks to BPS Quivers

We introduce new geometric objects called spectral networks. Spectral networks are networks of trajectories on Riemann surfaces obeying certain local rules. Spectral networks arise naturally in four-dimensional N=2 theories coupled to surface defects, particularly the theories of class S. In these theories spectral networks provide a useful tool for the computation of BPS degeneracies: the network directly determines the degeneracies of solitons living on the surface defect, ...

We study the BPS particle spectrum of five-dimensional superconformal field theories (SCFTs) on $\mathbb{R}^4\times S^1$ with one-dimensional Coulomb branch, by means of their associated BPS quivers. By viewing these theories as arising from the geometric engineering within M-theory, the quivers are naturally associated to the corresponding local Calabi-Yau threefold. We show that the symmetries of the quiver, descending from the symmetries of the Calabi-Yau geometry, togethe...

In this note we review a construction of a BPS Hilbert space in an effective supersymmetric quiver theory with 4 supercharges. We argue abstractly that this space contains elements of an equivariant generalized cohomology theory $E_G^{*}(-)$ of the quiver representation moduli space giving concretely Dolbeault cohomology, K-theory or elliptic cohomology depending on the spacial slice is compactified to a point, a circle or a torus respectively, and something more amorphous in...

These lecture notes cover a brief introduction into some of the algebro-geometric techniques used in the construction of BPS algebras. The first section introduces the derived category of coherent sheaves as a useful model of branes in toric Calabi-Yau three-folds. This model allows a rather simple derivation of quiver quantum mechanics describing low-energy dynamics of various brane systems. Vacua of such quantum mechanics can be identified with the critical equivariant coho...

Cluster coordinates for a large class of Argyres-Douglas and asymptotical free theories are constructed using network on bordered Riemann surface. Such N = 2 theories are engineered using six dimensional (2, 0) theory on Riemann surface with irregular and regular singularities. The Stokes phenomenon plays an important role in our construction. Our results are expected to be very useful in studying BPS spectrum, wall crossing, and line operators of these theories, etc. In part...

The spectrum of chiral operators in supersymmetric quiver gauge theories is typically much larger in the free limit, where the superpotential terms vanish. We find that the finite N counting of operators in any free quiver theory, with a product of unitary gauge groups, can be described by associating Young diagrams and Littlewood-Richardson multiplicities to a simple modification of the quiver, which we call the split-node quiver. The large N limit leads to a surprisingly si...

We study the geometric description of BPS states in supersymmetric theories with eight supercharges in terms of geodesic networks on suitable spectral curves. We lift and extend several constructions of Gaiotto-Moore-Neitzke from gauge theory to local Calabi-Yau threefolds and related models. The differential is multi-valued on the covering curve and features a new type of logarithmic singularity in order to account for D0-branes and non-compact D4-branes, respectively. We de...

Following the suggestion of hep-th/0506249 and hep-th/0612011, we represent quarter BPS dyons in N=4 supersymmetric string theories as string network configuration and explore the role of genus two surfaces in determining the spectrum of such dyons. Our analysis leads to the correct contour prescription for integrating the partition function to determine the spectrum in different domains of the moduli space separated by the walls of marginal stability.

We study the BPS spectrum of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theory of Argyres-Douglas type, obtained via twisted compactification of six-dimensional $A_{N-1}$ $(2,0)$ theory on a sphere with an irregular puncture, by using spectral networks. We give strong evidence of the equivalence of $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories from six-dimensional theories of different ranks by systematically comparing the chamber structure and wall-crossing phenom...

BPS spectra give important insights into the non-perturbative regimes of supersymmetric theories. Often from the study of BPS states one can infer properties of the geometrical or algebraic structures underlying such theories. In this paper we approach this problem from the perspective of persistent homology. Persistent homology is at the base of topological data analysis, which aims at extracting topological features out of a set of points. We use these techniques to investi...