Using symmetry to count rational curves

Abstract

An analogy is drawn between recent work with Kley (math.AG/0007082) and the WDVV equations. That is, both are regarded as symmetries of generating functions with coefficients that "count" rational curves on a complex projective manifold. It is shown how to obtain the string, dilaton and divisor equations from the new symmetries, as well as an analogue of the Kontsevich-Manin reconstruction theorem, expressing arbitrary genus zero Gromov-Witten invariants in terms of "mirror data". As was also pointed out in the work with Kley, this allows one, for the first time, to compute quantum cohomology from mirror data.