Shing-Tung (EDT) Yau

Since its discovery in the early 1990s, mirror symmetry, or more generally, string theory, has exploded onto the mathematical landscape. This topic touches upon many branches of mathematics and mathematical physics, and has revealed deep connections between subjects previously considered unrelated. The papers in this volume treat mirror symmetry from the perspectives of both mathematics and physics. The articles can be roughly grouped into four sub-categories within the topic of mirror symmetry: arithmetic aspects, geometric aspects, differential geometric and mathematical physics aspects, and geometric analytic aspects. In these works, the reader will find mathematics addressing, and in some cases solving, problems inspired and influenced by string theory. Information for our distributors: Titles in this series are copublished with International Press, Cambridge, MA.

This book presents contributions of participants of a workshop held at the Centre de Recherches Mathematiques (CRM), University of Montreal. It can be viewed as a sequel to "Mirror Symmetry I" (1998), "Mirror Symmetry II" (1996), and "Mirror Symmetry III" (1999), copublished by the AMS and International Press. The volume presents a broad survey of many of the noteworthy developments that have taken place in string theory, geometry, and duality since the mid 1990s.Some of the topics emphasized include the following: integrable models and supersymmetric gauge theories; theory of M- and D-branes and noncommutative geometry; duality between strings and gauge theories; and, elliptic genera and automorphic forms. Several introductory articles present an overview of the geometric and physical aspects of mirror symmetry and of corresponding developments in symplectic geometry. The book provides an efficient way for a very broad audience of mathematicians and physicists to explore the frontiers of research into this rapidly expanding area.

The collection of articles in this volume are based on lectures presented during the Winter School on Mirror Symmetry held at Harvard University. There are many new directions suggested by mirror symmetry which could potentially have very rich connections in physics and mathematics. This book brings together the latest research in a major area of mathematical physics, including the recent progress in mirror manifolds and Lagrangian submanifolds. In particular, several articles describing homological approach and related topics are included. Other AMS titles edited by S.-T Yau published in the AMS/IP Studies in Advanced Mathematics series include, Mirror Symmetry III, Volume 10, Mirror symmetry II, Volume 1, and Mirror Symmetry I, Volume 9.