${\rm SU}(N)$ geometries and topological string amplitudes

It has been conjectured recently that the field theory limit of the topological string partition functions, including all higher genus contributions, for the family of CY3-folds giving rise to ${\mathcal N}=2$ 4D $SU(N)$ gauge theory via geometric engineering can be obtained from gauge instanton calculus. We verify this surprising conjecture by calculating the partition functions for such local CYs using diagrammatic techniques inspired by geometric transitions. Determining the Gopakumar--Vafa invariants for these geometries to all orders in the fiber wrappings allows us to take the field theory limit.

2010 Mathematics Subject Classification

Primary 81T30. Secondary 81T13, 81T45.

Full Text (PDF format)

Published 1 January 2006