One-Dimensional Sectors From the Squashed Three-Sphere

Abstract

Three-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = 4$ superconformal field theories contain 1d topological sectors consisting of twisted linear combinations of half-BPS local operators that can be inserted anywhere along a line. After a conformal mapping to a round three-sphere, the 1d sectors are now defined on a great circle of $S^3$. We show that the 1d topological sectors are preserved under the squashing of the sphere. For gauge theories with matter hypermultiplets, we use supersymmetric localization to derive an explicit description of the topological sector associated with the Higgs branch. Furthermore, we find that the dependence of the 1d correlation functions on the squashing parameter $b$ can be removed after appropriate rescalings. One can introduce real mass and Fayet-Iliopolous parameters that, after appropriate rescalings, modify the 1d theory on the squashed sphere precisely as they do on the round sphere. In addition, we also show that when a generic 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ theory is deformed by real mass parameters, this deformation translates into a universal deformation of the corresponding 1d theory.