We obtain an asymptotic expansion of planar orthogonal polynomials with respect to exponentially varying weights, relevant for random matrix theory. As a consequence we show that the density of states in the random normal matrix model has universal error function transition across smooth interfaces for the limiting eigenvalue density. The key ingredient in the proof of the asymptotic expansion is the construction of the orthogonal foliation flow: a smooth flow of closed curves foliating a neighborhood of the interface, where the weighted L^2-mass of the orthogonal polynomial concentrates. The defining property of the flow is that the orthogonal polynomial of a given degree with respect to the disintegrated weighted area measure on the curves is approximately stationary in the flow parameter. To compute the coefficient functions in the expansion, we develop an algorithm which collapses the orthogonality relations to conditions along the interface, which become inhomogeneous Toeplitz kernel equations.

In this paper, we study gravitational instantons (i.e., complete hyperkähler 4‑manifolds with faster than quadratic curvature decay). We prove three main theorems: (1) Any gravitational instanton must have one of the following known ends: ALE, ALF, ALG, and ALH. (2) In the ALG and ALH non-splitting cases, it must be biholomorphic to a compact complex elliptic surface minus a divisor. Thus, we confirm a long-standing question of Yau in the ALG and ALH cases. (3) In the ALF‑D_k case, it must have an O(4)‑multiplet.

For any 2⩽r⩽∞,n⩾2, we prove the existence of an open set U of C^r‑self‑mappings of any n‑manifold so that a generic map f in U displays a fast growth of the number of periodic points: the number of its n‑periodic points grows as fast as asked. This complements the works of Martens–de Melo–van Strien, Kaloshin, Bonatti–Díaz–Fisher and Turaev, to give a full answer to questions asked by Smale in 1967, Bowen in 1978 and Arnold in 1989, for any manifold of any dimension and for any smoothness. Furthermore, for any 1⩽r<∞ and any k⩾0, we prove the existence of an open set \hat U of k-parameter families in U such that for a generic (f_p)^p ∈ \hat U, for every ∥p∥⩽1, the map f_p displays a fast growth of the number of periodic points. This gives a negative answer to a problem asked by Arnold in 1992 in the finitely smooth case.

An explicit Fredholm determinant formula is derived for the multipoint distribution of the height function of the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) with arbitrary right-finite initial condition. The method is by solving the biorthogonal ensemble/non-intersecting path representation found by [54], [10]. The resulting kernel involves transition probabilities of a random walk forced to hit a curve defined by the initial data. In the KPZ 1:2:3 scaling limit the formula leads in a transparent way to a Fredholm determinant formula, in terms of analogous kernels based on Brownian motion, for the transition probabilities of the scaling invariant Markov process at the centre of the KPZ universality class. The formula readily reproduces known special self-similar solutions such as the Airy1 and Airy2 processes. The process takes values in real valued functions which look locally like Brownian motion, and is Hölder 1/3−in time. Both the KPZ fixed point and TASEP are shown to be stochastic integrable systems in the sense that the time evolution of their transition probabilities can be linearized through a new Brownian scattering transform and its discrete analogue.

Using the geometric Satake correspondence, the Mirković–Vilonen cycles in the affine Grasssmannian give bases for representations of a semisimple group G. We prove that these bases are “perfect”, i.e. compatible with the action of the Chevelley generators of the positive half of the Lie algebra g. We compute this action in terms of intersection multiplicities in the affine Grassmannian. We prove that these bases stitch together to a basis for the algebra C[N] of regular functions on the unipotent subgroup. We compute the multiplication in this MV basis using intersection multiplicities in the Beilinson–Drinfeld Grassmannian, thus proving a conjecture of Anderson. In the third part of the paper, we define a map from C[N] to a convolution algebra of measures on the dual of the Cartan subalgebra of g. We characterize this map using the universal centralizer space of G. We prove that the measure associated with an MV basis element equals the Duistermaat–Heckman measure of the corresponding MV cycle. This leads to a proof of a conjecture of Muthiah. Finally, we use the map to measures to compare the MV basis and Lusztig’s dual semicanonical basis. We formulate conjectures relating the algebraic invariants of preprojective algebra modules (which underlie the dual semicanonical basis) and geometric invariants of MV cycles. In the appendix, we use these ideas to prove that the MV basis and the dual semicanonical basis do not coincide in SL_6 .