One-dimensional string theory with vortices as the upside down matrix oscillator

Aug, 1991
48 pages
Published in:
  • Int.J.Mod.Phys.A 8 (1993) 809-852
e-Print:
Report number:
  • LPTENS-91-24,
  • KUNS-1094,
  • KUNS-1094-HE(TH)-91-14

Citations per year

1991199920072015202302468
Abstract:
We study matrix quantum mechanics at a finite temperature equivalent to one dimensional compactified string theory with vortex (winding) excitations. It is explicitly demonstrated that the states transforming under non-trivial U(N) representations describe various configurations vortices and anti-vortices. For example, for the adjoint representation the Feynman graphs (representing discretized world-sheets) contain two faces with the boundaries wrapping around the compactified target space which is equivalent to a vortex-anti-vortex pair. A technique is developed to calculate partition functions in a given representation for the standard matrix oscillator. It enables us to obtain the partition function in the presence of a vortex-anti-vortex pair in the double scaling limit using an analytical continuation to the upside-down oscillator. The Berezinski-Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition occurs in a similar way and at the same temperature as in the flat 2D space. A possible generalization of our technique to any dimension of the embedding space is discussed.
Note:
  • 51 pages, 7 figures, revised version of a 1991 paper
  • quantum mechanics
  • matrix model
  • dimension: 1
  • string model
  • partition function
  • vortex
  • scaling
  • boundary condition
  • finite temperature
  • critical phenomena