Exploring 5d BPS Spectra with Exponential Networks

Abstract

We develop geometric techniques for counting BPS states in five-dimensional gauge theories engineered by M theory on a toric Calabi-Yau threefold. The problem is approached by studying framed 3d-5d wall-crossing in presence of a single M5 brane wrapping a special Lagrangian submanifold $L$. The spectrum of 3d-5d BPS states is encoded by the geometry of the manifold of vacua of the 3d-5d system, which further coincides with the mirror curve describing moduli of the Lagrangian brane. Information about the BPS spectrum is extracted from the geometry of the mirror curve by construction of a nonabelianization map for exponential networks. For the simplest Calabi-Yau, $\mathbb{C}^3$ we reproduce the count of 5d BPS states encoded by the Mac Mahon function in the context of topological strings, and match predictions of 3d $tt^*$ geometry for the count of 3d-5d BPS states. We comment on applications of our construction to the study of enumerative invariants of toric Calabi-Yau threefolds.