In this article, we study the small sphere limit of the WangYau quasi-local energy defined in Wang and Yau (Phys Rev Lett 102(2):021101, 2009, Commun Math Phys 288(3):919942, 2009). Given a point <i>p</i> in a spacetime <i>N</i>, we consider a canonical family of surfaces approaching <i>p</i> along its future null cone and evaluate the limit of the WangYau quasi-local energy. The evaluation relies on solving an optimal embedding equation whose solutions represent critical points of the quasi-local energy. For a spacetime with matter fields, the scenario is similar to that of the large sphere limit found in Chen etal. (Commun Math Phys 308(3):845863, 2011). Namely, there is a natural solution which is a local minimum, and the limit of its quasi-local energy recovers the stress-energy tensor at <i>p</i>. For a vacuum spacetime, the quasi-local energy vanishes to higher order and the solution of the optimal embedding

For the SU (N) invariant supersymmetric matrix model related to membranes in 4 space-time dimensions we argue that&lt; Psi, chi&gt;= 0 for the previously obtained solution of Q chi= 0, Q^{dagger} Psi= 0.

We use the polynomial formulation of the holomorphic anomaly equations governing perturbative topological string theory to derive the free energies in a scaling limit to all orders in perturbation theory for any CalabiYau threefold. The partition function in this limit satisfies an Airy differential equation in a rescaled topological string coupling. One of the two solutions of this equation gives the perturbative expansion and the other solution provides geometric hints of the non-perturbative structure of topological string theory. Both solutions can be expanded naturally around strong coupling.

A bstract 6d superconformal field theories (SCFTs) are the SCFTs in the highest possible dimension. They can be geometrically engineered in F-theory by compactifying on non-compact elliptic Calabi-Yau manifolds. In this paper we focus on the class of SCFTs whose base geometry is determined by 2 curves intersecting according to ADE Dynkin diagrams and derive the corresponding mirror Calabi-Yau manifold. The mirror geometry is uniquely determined in terms of the mirror curve which has also an interpretation in terms of the Seiberg-Witten curve of the four-dimensional theory arising from torus compactification. Adding the affine node of the ADE quiver to the base geometry, we connect to recent results on SYZ mirror symmetry for the A case and provide a physical interpretation in terms of little string theory. Our results, however, go beyond this case as our construction naturally covers the D and E cases as

We find two conditions related to the {\it news functions} of the Bondi's radiating vacuum spacetimes. We provide a complete proof of the positivity of the Bondi mass by using Schoen-Yau's method under one condition and by using Witten's method under another condition.