$G_2$ Holonomy, Taubes' Construction of Seiberg-Witten Invariants and Superconducting Vortices

Abstract

Using a reformulation of topological $\mathcal{N}=2$ QFT's in M-theory setup, where QFT is realized via M5 branes wrapping co-associative cycles in a $G_2$ manifold constructed from the space of self-dual 2-forms over $X^4$, we show that superconducting vortices are mapped to M2 branes stretched between M5 branes. This setup provides a physical explanation of Taubes' construction of the Seiberg-Witten invariants when $X^4$ is symplectic and the superconducting vortices are realized as pseudo-holomorphic curves. This setup is general enough to realize topological QFT's arising from $\mathcal{N}=2$ QFT's from all Gaiotto theories on arbitrary 4-manifolds.

23 pages, textual improvements, clarifications, one reference added. To appear in JHEP