Abstract: Gauge theories, which have their origin in physics, have had a profound effect on mathematics and nowhere is it more strikingly evident than in dimension four. Seiberg-Witten equations and Seiberg-Witten invariants have proven to be powerful instruments for the study of smooth structures on four-manifolds.
In my talk, I will introduce the equations and talk about a generalisation of the same. Almost all the well-known gauge theories on four-manifolds can be treated as special case of this generalisation. I will then discuss some of my latest results that show an interesting pattern, in which a class of such gauge theories on four-manifolds can be thought of as statements about de-generate metrics. I will then discuss some consequences of this observation and end the talk with some research directions I plan to pursue.