Paper detail

The 3d mixed BF Lagrangian 1-form: a variational formulation of Hitchin's integrable system

We introduce the concept of gauged Lagrangian $1$-forms, extending the notion of Lagrangian $1$-forms to the setting of gauge theories. This general formalism is applied to a natural geometric Lagrangian $1$-form on the cotangent bundle of the space of holomorphic structures on a smooth principal $G$-bundle $\mathcal{P}$ over a compact Riemann surface $C$ of arbitrary genus $g$, with or without marked points, in order to gauge the symmetry group of smooth bundle automorphisms of $\mathcal{P}$. The resulting construction yields a multiform version of the $3$d mixed BF action with so-called type A and B defects, providing a variational formulation of Hitchin's completely integrable system over $C$. By passing to holomorphic local trivialisations and going partially on-shell, we obtain a unifying action for a hierarchy of Lax equations describing the Hitchin system in terms of meromorphic Lax matrices. The cases of genus $0$ and $1$ with marked points are treated in greater detail, producing explicit Lagrangian $1$-forms for the rational Gaudin hierarchy and the elliptic Gaudin hierarchy, respectively, with the elliptic spin Calogero-Moser hierarchy arising as a special subcase.