Continuum limit of finite temperature λφ3 from lattice Monte Carlo

The φ₃⁴ model at finite temperature is simulated on the lattice. For fixed N_t we compute the transition line for N_s → ∞ by means of finite size scaling techniques. The crossings of a renormalization group trajectory with the transition lines of increasing N_t give a well-defined limit for the critical temperature in the continuum. By considering different RG trajectories, we compute T^c/g as a function of the renormalized parameters.     

Dynamics of O(N) chiral supersymmetry at finite energy density

We consider an O(N) version of a massive, interacting, chiral supersymmetry model solved exactly in the large N limit. We demonstrate that the system approaches a stable attractor at high energy densities, corresponding to a non-perturbative state for which the relevant field quanta are massless. The state is one of spontaneously broken O(N), which, due to the influence of supersymmetry, does not become restored at high energies. Introducing soft supersymmetry breaking to the Lagrangian results in scalar masses at the soft breaking scale m_s independent of the mass scale of supersymmetry μ, with even smaller masses for the fermions.     

2D gravity+1D matter

We consider a formulation of nonperturbative two-dimensional quantum gravity coupled to a single bosonic field (d=1 matter). Starting from a matrix realization of the discretized model, we express the continuum theory as a double scaling limit in which the 2D cosmological constant g tends towards a critical value g_c, and the string coupling 1/N→0, with the scaling parameter ∝1n (g-g_c)/(g-g_c)N held fixed. We find that in this formulation logarithmic corrections already present at tree level persist to all higher genus, suggesting a behavior different from the previously considered cases of d<1 matter.     

Mesons and baryons at large N and strong coupling

The spectrum of the lattice gauge theory in the limit N → ∞ is studied. We calculate exactly the first two terms in the strong coupling expansion of the masses for the theory with naive fermions.     

The quantum mechanics of affine variables

We study the wrapping of N-type IIB Dp-branes on a compact Riemann surface Σ in genus g>1 by means of the Sen–Witten construction, as a superposition of N′-type IIB Dp′-brane/antibrane pairs, with p′>p. A background Neveu–Schwarz field B deforms the commutative C-algebra of functions on Σ to a non-commutative C-algebra. Our construction provides an explicit example of the N′→∞ limit advocated by Bouwknegt-Mathai and Witten in order to deal with twisted K-theory. We provide the necessary elements to formulate M(atrix) theory on this new C-algebra, by explicitly constructing a family of projective C-modules admitting constant-curvature connections. This allows us to define the g>1 analogue of the BPS spectrum of states in g=1, by means of Donaldson’s formulation of the Narasimhan–Seshadri theorem.     

Spontaneous breaking of scale invariance in a supersymmetric model

The phase structure of a large N, O(N) supersymmetric model in three dimensions is studied. Of special interest is the spontaneous breaking of scale invariance which occurs at a fixed value of the coupling constant, λ₀=λ_c=4π. In this phase the bosons and fermions acquire a mass while a Goldstone boson (dilaton) and Goldstone fermion (“dilatino”) are dynamically generated as massless bound states. The absence of renormalization of the dimensionless coupling constant λ₀ leaves these Goldstone particles massless.     

Exact renormalization group study of fermionic theories

The exact renormalization group approach (ERG) is developed for the case of pure fermionic theories by deriving a Grassmann version of the ERG equation and applying it to the study of fixed point solutions and critical exponents of the two-dimensional chiral Gross-Neveu model. An approximation based on the derivative expansion and a further truncation in the number of fields is used. Two solutions are obtained analytically in the limit N → ∞, with N being the number of fermionic species. For finite N some fixed point solutions, with their anomalous dimensions and critical exponents, are computed numerically. The issue of separation of physical results from the numerous spurious ones is discussed. We argue that one of the solutions we find can be identified with that of Dashen and Frishman, whereas the others seem to be new ones.     

RNA folding and large N matrix theory

We formulate the RNA folding problem as an N×N matrix field theory. This matrix formalism allows us to give a systematic classification of the terms in the partition function according to their topological character. The theory is set up in such a way that the limit N→∞ yields the so-called secondary structure (Hartree theory). Tertiary structure and pseudo-knots are obtained by calculating the 1/N² corrections to the partition function. We propose a generalization of the Hartree recursion relation to generate the tertiary structure.     

Does the quenched reduced U(∞) chiral model break spontaneously in weak coupling?

The U(N) chiral model, when quenched using Parisi's rule, has a [U(1) × U(1)]^N/U(1) global invariance. To determine whether this symmetry breaks spontaneously in weak coupling for N=∞, a one-loop calculation of the distribution of eigenvalues of the single U(N) matrix of the model is performed. This distribution is shown to be uniform on the unit circle and hence, no symmetry breaking occurs. Further, the order parameter | tr U|²/N², which should be zero at N=∞ in the absence of spontaneous symmetry breaking, is evaluated in the weak coupling phase for one, two and three dimensions for N varying from 2 to 50 by Monte Carlo simulation of the quenched model. The data indicate that this parameter indeed goes to zero as N→∞ implying that the symmetry does not break.     

Infinite-dimensional gauge groups and special nonlinear gravitons

A gauge theory in flat space—time, in which the gauge algebra is the (infinite-dimensional) algebra of vector fields on a surface, determines a curved space—time metric. This note deals with some completely integrable examples, concentrating on the N → ∞ limit of the Euler—Arnol'd equations [geodesics on SO(N)]. In this case, the metric turns out to be flat, which points the way to a coordinate transformation that solves the original equations.     

Scaling properties of eden clusters in three and four dimensions

We study the scaling properties of noise reduced Eden clusters in three and four dimensions for variant B in the strip geometry. We find that the width W for large times behaves as a(s)g(L/s^d−1), where L is the width of the strip, s the noise reduction parameter, d the dimension of space, and a(s) a decreasing function of s, g is a scaling function with the property g(u)→1/2 as u→0 and g(u)u^x as u→∞, where χ is the roughness exponent. This scaling result leads to a new way of determining χ. In 3 dimensions, our numerical values for χ support a recent conjecture by Kim and Kosterlitz: χ = 2/(d + 2), and contradict all the former analytical conjectures. In 4 dimensions, we cannot distinguish between the conjectures of Kim and Kosterlitz and the conjecture of Wolf and Kertész, because large crossovers and finite size effects make the measurement of the exponents difficult.     

The large N limit of the O(N) Heisenberg spin system in two dimensions

The large N limit of the O(N) Heisenberg spin system in two dimensions (a lattice version of the non-linear σ-model) is analysed by the collective field technique. A compact expression for the mass gap and the β-function is obtained for arbitrary but fixed gN. The strong and weak coupling limits of this expression correctly reproduce the known results.     

The NN → NNη reaction close to threshold

The pp → ppη and np → npη reactions at energies near the η production threshold are studied in a non-relativistic one boson exchange model, where the N^* (1535 MeV) S11 resonance is excited through the exchange of π, η, and ω mesons and subsequently decays into an ηN pair. Energy integrated cross sections and energy spectra of the out going η's are reported. Providing NN and ηN final state interactions are taken into account coherently, the model reproduces both the scale and energy dependence of the cross section for the pp → ppη reactions up to 100 MeV. Final state interaction corrections due to the nucleon-nucleon and meson-nucleon forces influence strongly the scale and shape of the cross sections. The shape of the energy spectra of the outgoing η's provides a clear signature of the ηN force.     

The spectral density of the QCD Dirac operator and patterns of chiral symmetry breaking

We study the spectrum of the QCD Dirac operator for two colors with fermions in the fundamental representation and for two or more colors with adjoint fermions. For N_f flavors, the chiral flavor symmetry of these theories is spontaneously broken according to SU (2N_f → Sp (2N_f) and SU (N_f → O (N_f), respectively, rather than the symmetry breaking pattern SU (N_f) × SU (N_f) → SU (N_f) for QCD with three or more colors and fundamental fermions. In this paper we study the Dirac spectrum for the first two symmetry breaking patterns. Following previous work for the third case we find the Dirac spectrum in the domain λ Λ_QCD by means of partially quenched chiral perturbation theory. In particular, this result allows us to calculate the slope of the Dirac spectrum at λ = 0. We also show that for λ 1/L₂ Λ_QCD (wing L the linear size fo the system) the Dirac spectrum is given by a chiral Random Matrix Theory with the symmetries of the Dirac operator.     

Zero-temperature dynamics for the ferromagnetic Ising model on random graphs

We consider Glauber dynamics at zero temperature for the ferromagnetic Ising model on the usual random graph model on N vertices, with on average γ edges incident to each vertex, in the limit as N→∞. Based on numerical simulations, Svenson (Phys. Rev. E 64 (2001) 036122) reported that the dynamics fails to reach a global energy minimum for a range of values of γ. The present paper provides a mathematically rigorous proof that this failure to find the global minimum in fact happens for all γ>0. A lower bound on the residual energy is also given.     

Virtual corrections to the decay b → s + γ

We calculate the O(_s) virtual corrections to the matrix element for b → sγ, taking into account the contributions of the four-Fermi operator O₂ and the electromagnetic and color dipole-type operators. The results are combined with existing O(_s) Bremsstrahlung corrections in order to obtain the relevant inclusive rate. The new result drastically reduces the large scale dependence of the leading logarithmic approximation. It implies that a very accurate prediction for the branching ratio for B → X_sγ will become possible once also the corrections to the Wilson coefficients are available.     

Instantons versus factorization in large-N field theories

We discuss the contribution of surviving extrema for the action in N→ ∞ Yang-Mills theories in weak coupling and their relevance for factorization. In particular we discuss the role of fluxons in the twisted Eguchi-Kawai model.     

The two-point correlation function of the one-dimensional matrix model

Following Kostov and Ben-Menahem, we calculate the two-puncture correlation function for the one-dimensional matrix model. We find that it depends on the details of discretization for all momenta p. Its only universal features are its vanishing as p → 0 and the appearance of double poles at |p| = n/√′, N = 1,2,…. We show how to derive these double poles in the conformal gauge treatment of Liouville gravity.     

Final-state hyperon-nucleon interaction in the inclusive K photoproduction from the deuteron

We calculate d(γ, K⁺) inclusive cross sections with the full inclusion of the final ΛN - ΣN interaction. Modern hyperon-nucleon forces and a recently updated production operator for the γ + N → K⁺ + Y process are used. Significant effects of the hyperon-nucleon final-state interaction have been found especially around the K⁺ΣN threshold.