Symmetry Structure of ADHM Sigma Models and $AdS_3$ Superstrings

Abstract: We clarify the supersymmetry structure of ADHM instanton linear sigma models, $N=4$ superconformal algebras and superconformal field theories dual to superstrings moving in $AdS_3$ backgrounds in view of some of our recent findings in various investigations. First of all we collect information about the (0, 4) supersymmetries of Witten's original, Ali-Ilahi's complementary and Ali-Salih's complete ADHM instanton linear sigma models. Then we collect information about large, small and middle $N=4$ superconformal algebras and summarize their interrelations with the ADHM instanton linear sigma models. We then argue that the former, that is the supersymmetry of the ADHM instanton linear sigma models, flows to latter, that is the small, middle and large $N=4$ superconformal symmetries, in the infrared limit. Finally we summarize the mapping of these $N=4$ superconformal symmetries onto the superconformal symmetries dual to superstrings moving on $AdS_3\times S^3\times {\mathcal M}^4$ backgrounds with ${\mathcal M}^=K3, T^4$ and $S^3\times S^1$.