Black Hole and Topological String Partition Function in a

Scaling Limit

Imran Parvez Khan

Department of Mathematics
COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI)
Pakistan

57th ISSP 2019

Erice, Italy.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 1 / 14

Outline

Introduction
Topological Strings Partition Function
Non-holomorphic corrections

Scaling limit
Airy equation

Black Hole Partition Function

Conclusion

References

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 2 / 14

 Introduction Topological Strings Partition Function

Outline

Introduction
Topological Strings Partition Function
Non-holomorphic corrections

Scaling limit
Airy equation

Black Hole Partition Function

Conclusion

References

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 3 / 14

 Introduction Topological Strings Partition Function

Introduction I

É The topological string partition function is given by a perturbative expansion

in the topological string coupling λ, summing the free energies F (g ) over the
world sheet genera g [1]
X
Zt op = exp λ2g −2 F (g ) .

É The perturbative free energies F (g ) satisfy some DEs that were solved using
Feynman diagrams in [2] but become intractable at higher genus.
É In [3], this issue was resolved due to a polynomial structure of the higher
genus free energies in finitely many generators.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 4 / 14

 Introduction Non-holomorphic corrections

Outline

Introduction
Topological Strings Partition Function
Non-holomorphic corrections

Scaling limit
Airy equation

Black Hole Partition Function

Conclusion

References

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 5 / 14

 Introduction Non-holomorphic corrections

Polynomial structure of topological strings I

É In order to study Black Holes in string theory, a guiding principle is that string
theory dualities should remain preserved. [4]
É Let M be the moduli space of a CY threefold Y.
É The free energy F depends on holomorphic and non-holomorphic
generators. [5]
É In particular we are looking for the highest degree term of F in the
non-holomorphic generator S z z , which is of the form f (z )(S z z )3g −3 , where
f (z ) is a rational function of the modulus z .
2g −2
É Those terms turn out to be of the form [2] f (z ) = a g C z z z , a g ∈ Q. C z z z
are holomorphic Yukawa couplings.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 6 / 14

 Scaling limit

Scaling limit I

É Consider the total free energy

X
F= λ2g −2 F (g ) .

2g −2
É We would like to select the terms a g C z z z (S z z )3g −3 from F .
É To this end, we rescale the generators S z z and λ such that only these terms
survive.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 7 / 14

 Scaling limit Airy equation

Outline

Introduction
Topological Strings Partition Function
Non-holomorphic corrections

Scaling limit
Airy equation

Black Hole Partition Function

Conclusion

References

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 8 / 14

 Scaling limit Airy equation

Airy equation I

É The equation for the partition function Zt op,s = exp Fs in the scaling limit
becomes
 2 
Œ2 !
∂
‚
 1 1 1  1
 − +  λs e 3λ2s Zt op,s = 0,
 
 3λ2 
1 3λ2s 9 
s ∂ 3λ2s

where subscript s denotes scaling limit.

É Above equation has two singularities. But λs = ∞ is a regular singularity so
perturbative expansion is valid for strong coupling.
É It can be reduced to an Airy equation

(∂z 2 − z )v (z ) = 0.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 9 / 14

 Scaling limit Airy equation

É Finally the topological string partition function can be put as

 
‚ Œ2
1 3
1 − −1 1
Zt op,s = 2 e 3λ2
λs 3 v .
3 s
 
2λ2s


É The function v is a solution of Airy equation. That is a classic DE with two

linearly independent solutions. Both solutions can be expanded around
strong coupling.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 10 / 14

 Black Hole Partition Function

Black Hole Partition Function I

É This is well known that black hole partition function Z B H is related to the
partition function of topological string

Z B H ≈ |Zt op |2 .

É In the special case of scaling limit, this leads to

Π2 2
  
 ‚
 1 − 12 − 1  1 3

ZBH ≈ 2 3 e 3λs λs 3 v   .
 2λ2s 

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 11 / 14

 Conclusion

Conclusion I

É We have expressed the Black Hole partition function in terms of a function

that satisfies Airy equation.
É It was made possible due to scaling limit approach to Topological String
Partition Function.
É Further implications and importance of this result remain to be seen.
É Such results also aid in understanding Topological String Theory.

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 12 / 14

 References

References I

M. Alim, S.-T. Yau, J. Zhou, arxiv:1506.01375

M. Bershadsky, S. Cecotti, H. Ooguri, C. Vafa, arxiv:hep-th/9309140
S. Yamaguchi, S.-T. Yau, arxiv:hep-th/0406078
T. Mohaupt, From Special Geometry to Black Hole Partition Functions
M. Alim, J.D. Lange, arxiv:0708.2886

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 13 / 14

 References

Thank You

IPK (COMSATS UI) BH Partition Function June 2019 14 / 14