Refined toric branes, surface operators and factorization of generalized Macdonald polynomials

Abstract

We find new universal factorization identities for generalized Macdonald polynomials on the topological locus. We prove the identities (which include all previously known forumlas of this kind) using factorization identities for matrix model averages, which are themselves consequences of Ding-Iohara-Miki constraints. Factorized expressions for generalized Macdonald polynomials are identified with refined topological string amplitudes containing a toric brane on an intermediate preferred leg, surface operators in gauge theory and certain degenerate CFT vertex operators.