In this paper, we study the zero loci of local systems of the form \delta\Pi , where \delta\Pi is the period sheaf of the universal family of CY hypersurfaces in a suitable ambient space \delta\Pi , and \delta\Pi is a given differential operator on the space of sections \delta\Pi . Using earlier results of three of the authors and their collaborators, we give several different descriptions of the zero locus of \delta\Pi . As applications, we prove that the locus is algebraic and in some cases, non-empty. We also give an explicit way to compute the polynomial defining equations of the locus in some cases. This description gives rise to a natural stratification to the zero locus.

By a case-free approach we give a precise description of the closure of a Steinberg fiber within a twisted wonderful compactification of a simple linear algebraic group. In the nontwisted case this description was earlier obtained by the first author.

We study various geometrical quantities for CalabiYau varieties realized as cones over Gorenstein Fano varieties, obtained as toric varieties from reflexive polytopes in various dimensions. Focus is made on reflexive polytopes up to dimension 4 and the minimized volumes of the SasakiEinstein base of the corresponding CalabiYau cone are calculated. By doing so, we conjecture new bounds for the SasakiEinstein volume with respect to various topological quantities of the corresponding toric varieties. We give interpretations about these volume bounds in the context of associated field theories via the AdS/CFT correspondence.

Let V be a convex vector bundle over a smooth projective manifold X, and let Y be the subset of X which is the zero locus of a regular section of V. This mostly expository paper discusses a conjecture which relates the virtual fundamental classes of X and Y. Using an argument due to Gathmann, we prove a special case of the conjecture. The paper concludes with a discussion of how our conjecture relates to the mirror theorems in the literature.

We show how two topologically distinct spaces-the Kahler K3 x T^ 2 and the non-Kahler T^ 2 bundle over K3-can be smoothly connected in heterotic string theory. The transition occurs when the base K3 is deformed to the T^ 4/Z_2 orbifold limit. The orbifold theory can be mapped via duality to M-theory on K3 x K3 where the transition corresponds to an exchange of the two K3's.