A Gromov-Witten theory for simple normal-crossing pairs without log geometry

Abstract

We define a new Gromov-Witten theory relative to simple normal crossing divisors as a limit of Gromov-Witten theory of multi-root stacks. Several structural properties are proved including relative quantum cohomology, Givental formalism, Virasoro constraints (genus zero) and a partial cohomological field theory. Furthermore, we use the degree zero part of the relative quantum cohomology to provide an alternative mirror construction of Gross-Siebert and to prove the Frobenius structure conjecture of Gross-Hacking-Keel.