Generalized Cohomology Theories Research Articles

Interfaces and quantum algebras, I: Stable envelopes

The stable envelopes of Okounkov et al. realize some representations of quantum algebras associated to quivers, using geometry. We relate these geometric considerations to quantum field theory. The main ingredients are the supersymmetric interfaces in gauge theories with four supercharges, relation of supersymmetric vacua to generalized cohomology theories, and Berry connections. We mainly consider softly broken compactified three dimensional N=4 theories. The companion papers will discuss applications of this construction to symplectic duality, Bethe/gauge correspondence, generalizations to higher dimensional theories, and other topics.

Topological phases in the theory of solid states

The paper is a survey devoted to the topological phases - one of the actively developing directions in the theory of solid states. An interpretation of topological phases in terms of the generalized cohomology theories and $K$-theory is given.

Toroidal and elliptic quiver BPS algebras and beyond

The quiver Yangian, an infinite-dimensional algebra introduced recently in [1], is the algebra underlying BPS state counting problems for toric Calabi-Yau three-folds. We introduce trigonometric and elliptic analogues of quiver Yangians, which we call toroidal quiver algebras and elliptic quiver algebras, respectively. We construct the representations of the shifted toroidal and elliptic algebras in terms of the statistical model of crystal melting. We also derive the algebras and their representations from equivariant localization of three-dimensional mathcal{N} = 2 supersymmetric quiver gauge theories, and their dimensionally-reduced counterparts. The analysis of supersymmetric gauge theories suggests that there exist even richer classes of algebras associated with higher-genus Riemann surfaces and generalized cohomology theories.

Deletion and contraction in configuration spaces of graphs

The aim of this article is to provide space level maps between configuration spaces of graphs that are predicted by algebraic manipulations of cellular chains. More explicitly, we consider edge contraction and half-edge deletion, and identify the homotopy cofibers in terms of configuration spaces of simpler graphs. The construction's main benefit lies in making the operations functorial - in particular, graph minors give rise to compatible maps at the level of fundamental groups as well as generalized (co)homology theories. As applications we provide a long exact sequence for half-edge deletion in any generalized cohomology theory, compatible with cohomology operations such as the Steenrod and Adams operations, allowing for inductive calculations in this general context. We also show that the generalized homology of unordered configuration spaces is finitely generated as a representation of the opposite graph minor category.

An exposition of the topological half of the Grothendieck–Hirzebruch–Riemann–Roch theorem in the fancy language of spectra

We give an informal exposition of pushforwards and orientations in generalized cohomology theories in the language of spectra. The whole note can be seen as an attempt at convincing the reader that Todd classes in Grothendieck–Hirzebruch–Riemann–Roch type formulas are not Devil’s appearances but rather that things just go in the most natural possible way. [Display omitted]

Computing Classification of Interacting Fermionic Symmetry-Protected Topological Phases Using Topological Invariants* Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11874115), the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (Grant No. GRF 14306918), and ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme (Grant No. A-CUHK402/18).

In recent years, great success has been achieved on the classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases for interacting fermion systems by using generalized cohomology theory. However, the explicit calculation of generalized cohomology theory is extremely hard due to the difficulty of computing obstruction functions. Based on the physical picture of topological invariants and mathematical techniques in homotopy algebra, we develop an algorithm to resolve this hard problem. It is well known that cochains in the cohomology of the symmetry group, which are used to enumerate the SPT phases, can be expressed equivalently in different linear bases, known as the resolutions. By expressing the cochains in a reduced resolution containing much fewer basis than the choice commonly used in previous studies, the computational cost is drastically reduced. In particular, it reduces the computational cost for infinite discrete symmetry groups, like the wallpaper groups and space groups, from infinity to finity. As examples, we compute the classification of two-dimensional interacting fermionic SPT phases, for all 17 wallpaper symmetry groups.

Twisted cohomotopy implies M5-brane anomaly cancellation

We highlight what seems to be a remaining subtlety in the argument for the cancellation of the total anomaly associated with the M5-brane in M-theory. Then we prove that this subtlety is resolved under the hypothesis that the C-field flux is charge-quantized in the generalized cohomology theory called J-twisted Cohomotopy.

The plethory of operations in complex topological K-theory

We provide a concrete introduction to the topologised, graded analogue of an algebraic structure known as a plethory, originally due to Tall and Wraith. Stacey and Whitehouse showed this structure is present on the cohomology operations for a suitable generalised cohomology theory. We compute an explicit expression for the plethory of operations for complex topological K-theory. This is formulated in terms of a plethory enhanced with structure corresponding to the looping of operations. In this context we show that the familiar lambda operations generate all the operations.

Differential cohomotopy versus differential cohomology for M-theory and differential lifts of Postnikov towers

We compare the description of the M-theory form fields via cohomotopy versus that via integral cohomology. The conditions for lifting the latter to the former are identified using obstruction theory in the form of Postnikov towers, where torsion plays a central role. A subset of these conditions are shown to correspond compatibly to existing consistency conditions, while the rest are new and point to further consistency requirements for M-theory. Bringing in the geometry leads to a differential refinement of the Postnikov tower, which should be of independent interest. This provides another confirmation that cohomotopy is the proper generalized cohomology theory to describe these fields.

Equivariant Cohomotopy implies orientifold tadpole cancellation

There are fundamental open problems in the precise global nature of RR-field tadpole cancellation conditions in string theory. Moreover, the non-perturbative lift as M5/MO5-anomaly cancellation in M-theory had been based on indirect plausibility arguments, lacking a microscopic underpinning in M-brane charge quantization. We provide a framework for answering these questions, crucial not only for mathematical consistency but also for phenomenological accuracy of string theory, by formulating the M-theory C-field on flat M-orientifolds in the generalized cohomology theory called Equivariant Cohomotopy. This builds on our previous results for smooth but curved spacetimes, showing in that setting that charge quantization in twisted Cohomotopy rigorously implies a list of expected anomaly cancellation conditions. Here we further expand this list by proving that brane charge quantization in unstable equivariant Cohomotopy implies the anomaly cancellation conditions for M-branes and D-branes on flat orbi-orientifolds. For this we (a) use an unstable refinement of the equivariant Hopf-tom Dieck theorem to derive local/twisted tadpole cancellation, and in addition (b) the lift to super-differential cohomology to establish global/untwisted tadpole cancellation. Throughout, we use (c) the unstable Pontrjagin–Thom theorem to identify the brane/O-plane configurations encoded in equivariant Cohomotopy and (d) the Boardman homomorphism to equivariant K-theory to identify Chan–Paton representations of D-brane charge. We find that unstable equivariant Cohomotopy, but not its image in equivariant K-theory, distinguishes D-brane charge from the finite set of types of O-plane charges.

Twisted Cohomotopy Implies M-Theory Anomaly Cancellation on 8-Manifolds

We consider the hypothesis that the C-field 4-flux and 7-flux forms in M-theory are in the image of the non-abelian Chern character map from the non-abelian generalized cohomology theory called J-twisted Cohomotopy theory. We prove for M2-brane backgrounds in M-theory on 8-manifolds that such charge quantization of the C-field in Cohomotopy theory implies a list of expected anomaly cancellation conditions, including: shifted C-field flux quantization and C-field tadpole cancellation, but also the DMW anomaly cancellation and the C-field's integral equation of motion.

Twisted differential generalized cohomology theories and their Atiyah–Hirzebruch spectral sequence

We construct the Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence (AHSS) for twisted differential generalized cohomology theories. This generalizes to the twisted setting the authors' corresponding earlier construction for differential cohomology theories, as well as to the differential setting the AHSS for twisted generalized cohomology theories, including that of twisted K-theory by Rosenberg and Atiyah-Segal. In describing twisted differential spectra we build on the work of Bunke-Nikolaus, but we find it useful for our purposes to take an approach that highlights direct analogies with classical bundles and that is at the same time amenable for calculations. We will, in particular, establish that twisted differential spectra are bundles of spectra equipped with a flat connection. Our prominent case will be twisted differential K-theory, for which we work out the differentials in detail. This involves differential refinements of primary and secondary cohomology operations the authors developed in earlier papers. We illustrate our constructions and computational tools with examples.

A motivic homotopy theory without $$\mathbb {A}^{1}$$-invariance

In this paper, we continue the program initiated by Kahn-Saito-Yamazaki by constructing and studying an unstable motivic homotopy category with modulus, extending the Morel-Voevodsky construction from smooth schemes over a field $k$ to certain diagrams of schemes. We present this category as a candidate environment for studying representability problems for non $\mathbb{A}^1$-invariant generalized cohomology theories.

Twisted differential cohomology

The main goal of the present paper is the construction of twisted generalized differential cohomology theories and the comprehensive statement of its basic functorial properties. Technically it combines the homotopy theoretic approach to (untwisted) generalized differential cohomology developed by Hopkins-Singer and later by the first author and D. Gepner with the oo-categorical treatement of twisted cohomology by Ando-Blumberg-Gepner. We introduce the notion of a differential twist for a given generalized cohomology theory and construct twisted differential cohomology groups (resp. spectra). The main technical results of the paper are existence and uniqueness statements for differential twists. These results will be applied in a variety of examples, including K-theory, topological modular forms and other cohomology theories.

Real ADE-Equivariant (co)Homotopy and Super M-Branes

A key open problem in M-theory is the identification of the degrees of freedom that are expected to be hidden at ADE-singularities in spacetime. Comparison with the classification of D-branes by K-theory suggests that the answer must come from the right choice of generalized cohomology theory for M-branes. Here we show that real equivariant cohomotopy on superspaces is a consistent such choice, at least rationally. After explaining this new approach, we demonstrate how to use Elmendorf's theorem in equivariant homotopy theory to reveal ADE-singularities as part of the data of equivariant 4-sphere-valued super-cocycles on 11d super-spacetime. We classify these super-cocycles and find a detailed black brane scan that enhances the entries of the old brane scan to cascades of fundamental brane super-cocycles on strata of intersecting black M-brane species. We find that on each singular stratum the black brane's instanton contribution, namely its super Nambu-Goto/Green-Schwarz action, appears as the homotopy datum associated to the morphisms in the orbit category.

Symmetry protected topological phases and generalized cohomology

We discuss the classification of SPT phases in condensed matter systems. We review Kitaev’s argument that SPT phases are classified by a generalized cohomology theory, valued in the spectrum of gapped physical systems [20, 23]. We propose a concrete description of that spectrum and of the corresponding cohomology theory. We compare our proposal to pre-existing constructions in the literature.

Parametrized spectra, multiplicative Thom spectra and the twisted Umkehr map

We introduce a general theory of parametrized objects in the setting of infinity categories. Although spaces and spectra parametrized over spaces are the most familiar examples, we establish our theory in the generality of objects of a presentable infinity category parametrized over objects of an infinity topos. We obtain a coherent functor formalism describing the relationship of the various adjoint functors associated to base-change and symmetric monoidal structures. Our main applications are to the study of generalized Thom spectra. We obtain fiberwise constructions of twisted Umkehr maps for twisted generalized cohomology theories using a geometric fiberwise construction of Atiyah duality. In order to characterize the algebraic structures on generalized Thom spectra and twisted (co)homology, we characterize the generalized Thom spectrum as a categorification of the well-known adjunction between units and group rings.

A regulator for smooth manifolds and an index theorem

For a smooth manifold $X$ and an integer $d$ > dim$(X)$ we construct and investigate a natural map $$ \sigma\_{d}\colon K\_{d}(C^{\infty}(X))\to \mathbf {ku}\mathbb C/\mathbb Z^{-d-1}(X)\ . $$ Here $K\_{d}(C^{\infty}(X))$ is the algebraic $K$-theory group of the algebra of complex valued smooth functions on $X$, and $\mathbf {ku}\mathbb C/\mathbb Z^{\*}$ is the generalized cohomology theory called connective complex $K$-theory with coefficients in $\mathbb C/\mathbb Z$. If the manifold $X$ is closed of odd dimension $d-1$ and equipped with a Dirac operator, then we state and partially prove the conjecture stating that the following two maps $$ K\_{d}(C^{\infty}(X))\to \mathbb C/\mathbb Z $$ coincide: 1. Pair the result of $\sigma\_{d}$ with the $K$-homology class of the Dirac operator. 2. Compose the Connes–Karoubi multiplicative character with the classifying map of the $d$-summable Fredholm module of the Dirac operator.

Framed M-branes, corners, and topological invariants

We uncover and highlight relations between the M-branes in M-theory and various topological invariants: the Hopf invariant over Q, Z and Z2, the Kervaire invariant, the f-invariant, and the ν-invariant. This requires either a framing or a corner structure. The canonical framing provides a minimum for the classical action and the change of framing encodes the structure of the action and possible anomalies. We characterize the flux quantization condition on the C-field and the topological action of the M5-brane via the Hopf invariant, and the dual of the C-field as (a refinement of) an element of Hopf invariant two. In the signature formulation, the contribution to the M-brane effective action is given by the Maslov index of the corner. The Kervaire invariant implies that the effective action of the M5-brane is quadratic. Our study leads to viewing the self-dual string, which is the boundary of the M2-brane on the M5-brane worldvolume, as a string theory in the sense of cobordism of manifolds with corners. We show that the dynamics of the C-field and its dual are encoded in a unified way in the 4-sphere, which suggests the corresponding spectrum as the generalized cohomology theory describing the fields. The effective action of the corner is captured by the f-invariant, which is an invariant at chromatic level two. Finally, considering M-theory on manifolds with G2 holonomy, we show that the canonical G2 structure minimizes the topological part of the M5-brane action. This is done via the ν-invariant and a variant that we introduce related to the one-loop polynomial.

The spectrum for commutative complex K–theory

We study commutative complex $K$-theory, a generalised cohomology theory built from spaces of ordered commuting tuples in the unitary groups. We show that the spectrum for commutative complex $K$-theory is stably equivalent to the $ku$-group ring of $BU(1)$ and thus obtain a splitting of its representing space $B_{com}U$ as a product of all the terms in the Whitehead tower for $BU$, $B_{com}U\simeq BU\times BU\langle 4\rangle \times BU\langle 6\rangle \times \dots .$ As a consequence of the spectrum level identification we obtain the ring of coefficients for this theory. Using the rational Hopf ring for $B_{com}U$ we describe the relationship of our results with a previous computation of the rational cohomology algebra of $B_{com}U$. This gives an essentially complete description of the space $B_{com}U$ introduced by A. Adem and J. G\'omez.