Deriving the $\text{AdS}_3\times\text{S}^3\times \text{T}^4$ Quantum Spectral Curve I: Y-system and discontinuity relations

Abstract

The mirror Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) describes the spectrum of $\text{AdS}_3\times\text{S}^3\times \text{T}^4$ superstrings supported by a mixture of Ramond-Ramond (RR) and Neveu-Schwarz-Neveu-Schwarz (NSNS) flux. In recent years, a conjecture was put forward regarding the Quantum Spectral Curve (QSC) formulation in the Ramond-Ramond case. In this paper, we initiate the derivation of the Ramond-Ramond QSC from the mirror TBA equations. We describe the Y-system underlying the TBA and its discontinuity relations for pure-RR backgrounds. This provides the foundation for the derivation of the T-system and the Quantum Spectral Curve, which will be presented in a follow-up paper.