Skip to main content
Log in

Argyres-Seiberg Duality and the Higgs Branch

  • Published:
Communications in Mathematical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We demonstrate the agreement between the Higgs branches of two \({\mathcal{N}=2}\) theories proposed by Argyres and Seiberg to be S-dual, namely the SU(3) gauge theory with six quarks, and the SU(2) gauge theory with one pair of quarks coupled to the superconformal theory with E 6 flavor symmetry. In mathematical terms, we demonstrate the equivalence between a hyperkähler quotient of a linear space and another hyperkähler quotient involving the minimal nilpotent orbit of E 6, modulo the identification of the twistor lines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Argyres P.C., Seiberg N.: S-duality in \({\mathcal{N} = 2}\) supersymmetric gauge theories. JHEP 0712, 088 (2007)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Minahan J.A., Nemeschansky D.: An \({\mathcal{N} =2}\) superconformal fixed point with E 6 global symmetry. Nucl. Phys. B 482, 142 (1996)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aharony O., Tachikawa Y.: A holographic computation of the central charges of d = 4, \({\mathcal{N} = 2}\) SCFTs. JHEP 0801, 037 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Argyres P.C., Wittig J.R.: Infinite coupling duals of \({\mathcal{N} = 2}\) gauge theories and new rank 1 superconformal field theories. JHEP 0801, 074 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kronheimer P.B.: Instantons and the geometry of the nilpotent variety. J. Diff. Geom. 32, 473 (1990)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. Joseph A.: The minimal orbit in a simple Lie algebra and its associated maximal ideal. Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup. Ser. 4 9, 1 (1976)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Swann A.: Hyperkähler and quaternionic Käher geometry. Math. Ann. 289, 421 (1991)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Brylinski, R.: Instantons and Kähler geometry of nilpotent orbits. In: Representation Theories and Algebraic Geometry. NATO Adv. Sci. Inst. Ser. C Math. Phys. Sci. 514, Dordrecht: Kluwer, 1998, pp. 85–125

  9. Hitchin N.J., Karlhede A., Lindström U., Roček M.: Hyperkähler metrics and supersymmetry. Commun. Math. Phys. 108, 535 (1987)

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Biquard, O., Gauduchon, P.: Hyper-Kähler metrics on cotangent bundles of Hermitian symmetric spaces. In: Lecture Notes in Pure and Appl. Math. 184, Newyork: Dekker, 1997, pp. 287–298

  11. Argyres P.C., Plesser M.R., Seiberg N.: The Moduli Space of \({\mathcal{N} = 2}\) SUSY QCD and Duality in \({\mathcal{N} = 1}\) SUSY QCD. Nucl. Phys. B 471, 159 (1996)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Vainshtein, A.I., Zakharov, V.I., Novikov, V.A., Shifman, M.A.: ABC of instantons. Sov. Phys. Usp. 25, 195 (1982) [Usp. Fiz. Nauk 136, 553 (1982)]

    Google Scholar 

  13. Garfinkle, D.: A new construction of the Joseph ideal. MIT thesis, 1982. Available on-line at the service ‘MIT Theses in DSpace.’ http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/15620, 1982 (see chap. III)

  14. Kobak P., Swann A.: The hyperkähler geometry associated to Wolf spaces. Boll. Unione Mat. Ital. Serie 8, Sez. B Artic. Ric. Mat. 4, 587 (2001)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Antoniadis I., Pioline B.: Higgs branch, hyperkähler quotient and duality in SUSY \({\mathcal{N} = 2}\) Yang-Mills theories. Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 12, 4907 (1997)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuji Tachikawa.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Kapustin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gaiotto, D., Neitzke, A. & Tachikawa, Y. Argyres-Seiberg Duality and the Higgs Branch. Commun. Math. Phys. 294, 389–410 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00220-009-0938-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00220-009-0938-6

Keywords

Navigation