Zero and Negative Gromov-Witten invariants in genus 0 - MathOverflow most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net 2013-05-24T08:52:47Z http://mathoverflow.net/feeds/question/120255 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://mathoverflow.net/questions/120255/zero-and-negative-gromov-witten-invariants-in-genus-0 Zero and Negative Gromov-Witten invariants in genus 0 HNuer 2013-01-29T20:13:28Z 2013-01-30T00:26:33Z <p>I'm working on a project and I've used the Picard-Fuchs equation at a maximally unipotent monodromy point for a certain 1-dimensional family of Calabi-Yau 3-folds to calculate the A-model Yukawa coupling, and thus the generating function of the genus 0 GW invariants on the suspected mirror. I'm wondering if it's possible to have negative GW invariants even in genus 0. Also is it possible to have $n_d=0$ for all odd $d$, where the $n_d$ are defined to be the unique rational numbers fitting into the formula $N_l=\sum_{d|l} n_{l/d}d^{-3}$, where $N_d=I_{0,0,d}$ is the $d$-th genus 0, unpointed, GW invariant in degree d on a Calabi-Yau 3-fold with Picard rank 1. These numbers are also known as the instanton numbers. </p> <p>To be more precise about my exact question: Suppose you have a CY 3-fold with Picard rank 1, so you can write any cohomology class in codim 2 as $dH$. Then we can write the GW invariants $$N_d=I_{0,0,dH}=\sum_{k|d} n_{d/k} k^{-3}.$$ Is it possible for these $n_{d/k}$'s to be negative for a few low degree terms, and zero for all odd degrees.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/120255/zero-and-negative-gromov-witten-invariants-in-genus-0/120274#120274 Answer by Jim Bryan for Zero and Negative Gromov-Witten invariants in genus 0 Jim Bryan 2013-01-30T00:26:33Z 2013-01-30T00:26:33Z <p>It is certainly possible to have $n_d$ be negative or zero. For example if $X=K_{\mathbb{P}^2}$, the total space of the canonical bundle over $\mathbb{P}^2$, then $n_2=-6$. Your $n_d$ are genus 0 Gopakumar-Vafa invariants (or BPS numbers) and they have a description in terms of sheaves on $X$ which is (conjecturally) equivalent to your formula in terms of GW invariants. $n_d$ is given as the topological Euler characteristic (weighted by the Behrend function) of the moduli space of semi-stable sheaves $F$ on $X$ whose support is in the curve class dual to "$d$" and such that $\chi(F)=1$. The Behrend function is a integer valued constructible function on any scheme over $\mathbb{C}$ which takes the value $(-1)^n$ at non-singular points of dimension $n$. My point is that if the curves of degree $d$ move in a family, then this weighted Euler characteristic might easily be negative or zero. In the case of $X=K_{\mathbb{P}^2}$, $d=2$, the sheaves are given by the structure sheaves of conics in the plane and so the moduli space is a $\mathbb{P}^5$ (whose Behrend function is the constant -1) and so the weighted Euler characteristic is minus the topological euler characteristic of $\mathbb{P}^5$, so $n_2=-6$. </p>