Two-dimensional gauge dynamics and the topology of singular determinantal varieties

We record an observation about the Witten indices in two families of gauged linear sigma models: the U(2) model for linear sections of Grassmannians, and the U(1) model for quadric complete intersections. We describe how the Witten indices are related to the Euler characteristics of the singular skew-symmetric or symmetric determinantal varieties featuring in the analysis of their opposite phases, and we discuss the extent to which these relationships can be reconciled with standard Born-Oppenheimer arguments.