Arithmetic properties of mirror map and quantum coupling

Abstract

We study some arithmetic properties of the mirror maps and the quantum Yukawa couplings for some 1-parameter deformations of Calabi-Yau manifolds. First we use the Schwarzian differential equation, which we derived previously, to characterize the mirror map in each case. For algebraic K3 surfaces, we solve the equation in terms of theJ-function. By deriving explicit modular relations we prove that some K3 mirror maps are algebraic over the genus zero function fieldQ(J). This leads to a uniform proof that those mirror maps have integral Fourier coefficients. Regarding the maps as Riemann mappings, we prove that they are genus zero functions. By virtue of the Conway-Norton conjecture (proved by Borcherds using Frenkel-Lepowsky-Meurman's Moonshine module), we find that these maps are actually the reciprocals of the Thompson series for certain conjugacy classes in the Griess-Fischer group. This also gives, as an immediate consequence, a second proof that those mirror maps are integral. We thus conjecture a surprising connection between K3 mirror maps and the Thompson series. For threefolds, we construct a formal nonlinear ODE for the quantum coupling reduced modp. Under the mirror hypothesis and an integrality assumption, we derive modp congurences for the Fourier coefficients. For the quintics, we deduce, (at least for 5×d) that the degreed instanton numbersn _d are divisible by 5³ — a fact first conjectured by Clemens.