{
  "abstract": "Can the geometry transverse to M2-branes capture effects that are exponentially small in their three-sphere ($S^3$) partition function? We investigate this question by extending beyond constant maps the proposal that M2-brane observables are encoded by equivariant topological strings on the transverse Calabi-Yau fourfold (CY$_4$). Our central object is the disk partition function of the CY$_4$ gauged linear sigma model, a quantum generalization of the equivariant volume. After a Gamma-function normalization and a Mellin transform, it reproduces the complete leading WKB grand potential in the examples admitting a suitable Fermi-gas description, including the R-charge and mass deformations compatible with that description. In particular, the transform recovers membrane-instanton series even for $\\mathbb{C}^4$, which has no compact curves. For resolved CY$_4$ cones with compact curves, the match requires a quantum refinement of the classical mesonic constraint. We establish the exact equalities of the corresponding dressed disk partition functions with the classical spectral traces for ABJM, ADHM and a representative set of flavored M2-brane quiver theories. Away from the deformation loci where this match can be established, the same construction yields geometric predictions for the membrane-instanton sector that remain to be tested.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2611.07186",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Kiril Hristov"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ali Mert Yetkin"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/79d412j2p0890.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2611.07186",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "79d412j2p0890",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07186",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "hep-th"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2611.07186",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/79d412j2p0890.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T18:21:30Z",
      "native_id": "2611.07186",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07186"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:hep-th",
      "subfield": "high-energy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Instantons from geometry in M2-brane sphere partition functions",
  "title_text": "Instantons from geometry in M2-brane sphere partition functions",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T00:20:40Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/79d412j2p0890",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}