Momentum-space Monte Carlo

Using the quenched, reduced form of large-N field theories, we show that it is possible to directly measure momentum-space Green functions, via Monte Carlo, without going through the intermediate step of measurement in position space plus Fourier transformation. This promises to be useful tool for investigating the infrared structure of planar field theories. As an application (and test) of the method, we compute mass-gaps in the quenched U(N) × U(N) lattice chiral model, in D = 1 and 2 dimensions.     

Dynamical Aspects of Mean Field Plane Rotators and the Kuramoto Model

The Kuramoto model has been introduced in order to describe synchronization phenomena observed in groups of cells, individuals, circuits, etc. We look at the Kuramoto model with white noise forces: in mathematical terms it is a set of N oscillators, each driven by an independent Brownian motion with a constant drift, that is each oscillator has its own frequency, which, in general, changes from one oscillator to another (these frequencies are usually taken to be random and they may be viewed as a quenched disorder). The interactions between oscillators are of long range type (mean field). We review some results on the Kuramoto model from a statistical mechanics standpoint: we give in particular necessary and sufficient conditions for reversibility and we point out a formal analogy, in the N→∞ limit, with local mean field models with conservative dynamics (an analogy that is exploited to identify in particular a Lyapunov functional in the reversible set-up). We then focus on the reversible Kuramoto model with sinusoidal interactions in the N→∞ limit and analyze the stability of the non-trivial stationary profiles arising when the interaction parameter K is larger than its critical value K _c . We provide an analysis of the linear operator describing the time evolution in a neighborhood of the synchronized profile: we exhibit a Hilbert space in which this operator has a self-adjoint extension and we establish, as our main result, a spectral gap inequality for every K>K _c .     

Noncritical holographic QCD in external electric field

We investigate behavior of a noncritical model in external electric field and explore its phase structure in the quenched approximation Nf?Nc. We compute the conductivity of QCD plasma in this model and compare it with the predictions of Sakai-Sugimoto model, D3-D7 system and lattice simulations. We find that, while the behavior of conductivity in noncritical model as a function of temperature and baryon density is similar to those of D3-D7 system, the phase diagram of noncritical model resembles the phase diagram of Sakai-Sugimoto model.     

Quenched master fields

We derive an exact algebraic (master) equation for the euclidean master field of any large-N matrix theory, including quantum chromodynamics. The master equation is the quenched Langevin equation. The master field, a translationally covariant function of (uniform) random momenta and (gaussian) random noise, is easily constructed in perturbation theory.     

Critical behaviour in random field gauge theory

We study the thermodynamic behaviour of spin and gauge systems in the presence of a quenched external random field. In particular, we show that forZ(2) andSU (2) gauge theory in two space dimensions, the random field destroys the ordered phase and thus leads to a shift in the lower critical dimension, just as found for the corresponding Ising model.     

Field theory of the random flux model

The random flux model (defined here as a model of lattice fermions hopping under the influence of maximally random link disorder) is analysed field theoretically. It is shown that the long range physics of the model is described by the supersymmetric version of a field theory that has been derived earlier in connection with lattice fermions subject to weak random hopping. More precisely, the field theory relevant for the behaviour of n-point correlation functions is of non-linear σ model type, where the group GL(n|n) is the global invariant manifold. It is argued that the model universally describes the long range physics of random phase fermions and provides further evidence in favour of the existence of delocalised states in the middle of the band in two dimensions. The same formalism is applied to the study of non-Abelian generalisations of the random flux model, i.e. N-component fermions whose hopping is mediated by random U(N) matrices. We discuss some physical applications of these models and argue that, for sufficiently large N, the existence of long range correlations in the band centre (equivalent to metallic behaviour in the Abelian case) can be safely deduced from the RG analysis of the model.     

Vertex models on Feynman diagrams

We discuss the statistical mechanics of vertex models on both generic (“thin”) and planar (“fat”) random graphs. Such models can be formulated as the N → 1 and N → ∞ limits of N × N complex matrix models, respectively. From the graph theoretic perspective one is using matrix model and field theory inspired methods to count various classes of directed graphs. For the thin random graphs we use saddle point methods to solve the models in the thermodynamic, large number of vertices limit and note that, as in the case of the eight-vertex model on the square lattice, various other models such as the Ising model appear as particular limits. The generic solution of the fat graph model is rather more elusive, but we show that for several choices of the couplings the models can be reduced to eigenvalue integrals and their critical behaviour deduced.     

Two-dimensional Brownian vortices

We introduce a stochastic model of 2D Brownian vortices associated with the canonical ensemble. The point vortices evolve through their usual mutual advection but they experience in addition a random velocity and a systematic drift generated by the system as a whole. The statistical equilibrium state of this stochastic model is the Gibbs canonical distribution. We consider a single species system and a system made of two types of vortices with positive and negative circulations. At positive temperatures, like-sign vortices repel each other (“plasma” case) and at negative temperatures, like-sign vortices attract each other (“gravity” case). We derive the stochastic equation satisfied by the exact vorticity field and the Fokker-Planck equation satisfied by the N-body distribution function. We present the BBGKY-like hierarchy of equations satisfied by the reduced distribution functions and close the hierarchy by considering an expansion of the solutions in powers of 1/N, where N is the number of vortices, in a proper thermodynamic limit. For spatially inhomogeneous systems, we derive the kinetic equations satisfied by the smooth vorticity field in a mean field approximation valid for N→+∞. For spatially homogeneous systems, we study the two-body correlation function, in a Debye-Hückel approximation valid at the order O(1/N). The results of this paper can also apply to other systems of random walkers with long-range interactions such as self-gravitating Brownian particles and bacterial populations experiencing chemotaxis. Furthermore, for positive temperatures, our study provides a kinetic derivation, from microscopic stochastic processes, of the Debye-Hückel model of electrolytes.     

Generalizing the O(N)-field theory to N-colored manifolds of arbitrary internal dimension D

We introduce a geometric generalization of the O(N)-field theory that describes N-colored membranes with arbitrary dimension D. As the O(N)-model reduces in the limit N → 0 to self-avoiding polymers, the N-colored manifold model leads to self-avoiding tethered membranes. In the other limit, for inner dimension D → 1, the manifold model reduces to the O(N)-field theory. We analyze the scaling properties of the model at criticality by a one-loop perturbative renormalization group analysis around an upper critical line. The freedom to optimize with respect to the expansion point on this line allows us to obtain the exponent ν of standard field theory to much better precision that the usual 1-loop calculations. Some other field theoretical techniques, such as the large N limit and Hartree approximation, can also be applied to this model. By comparison of low- and high-temperature expansions, we arrive at a conjecture for the nature of droplets dominating the 3d Ising model at criticality, which is satisfied by our numerical results. We can also construct an appropriate generalization that describes cubic anisotropy, by adding an interaction between manifolds of the same color. The two parameter space includes a variety of new phases and fixed points, some with Ising criticality, enabling us to extract a remarkably precise value of 0.6315 for the exponent ν in d = 3. A particular limit of the model with cubic anisotropy corresponds to the random bond Ising problem; unlike the field theory formulation, we find a fixed point describing this system at 1-loop order.     

Mean-field theory for quenched reduced large-N gauge model

The reduced model à la Eguchi and Kawai, its quenched version and the Wilson theory in the string variable representation are studied by employing the loop expansion around the mean field. The spontaneous breakdown of the U(1)^d symmetry in the Eguchi-Kawai model is thoroughly investigated. It is shown that the quenched reduced model undergoes the first-order phase transition in excellent agreement with the Monte Carlo data. The quenched reduced model is shown to be equivalent to the standard Wilson theory by comparing with the string variable Wilson theory at any finite order in the loop expansion in the large-N limit.     

Magnets with random anisotropies: The random cubic model and other models with p-fold spin interactions

In this paper we investigate in detail models with random anisotropies and p-fold spin interactions. We construct the random cubic model (p = 4) and show that when N > 2 (N being the number of spin components) its properties are similar to the random uniaxial anisotropy model, since quartic interactions, characteristic of the random uniaxial model, are generated through renormalization even if they vanish to start with. Similar conclusions apply to a random p-fold interaction model of the form $\text{?D∑}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(}\text{n}\text{?}\text{,}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{·}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{p}}$, when p is even. In the case of odd p, a random field interaction is generated. Other models are also discussed.     

Statistical mechanics and stability of random lattice field theory

The averaging procedure in the random lattice field theory is studied by viewing it as a statistical mechanics of a system of classical particles. The corresponding thermodynamic phase is shown to determine the random lattice configuration which contributes dominantly to the generating function. The non-abelian gauge theory in four (space plus time) dimensions in the annealed and quenched averaging versions is shown to exist as an ideal classical gas, implying that macroscopically homogeneous configurations dominate the configurational averaging. For the free massless scalar field theory with O(n) global symmetry, in the annealed average, the pressure becomes negative for dimensions greater than two when n exceeds a critical number. This implies that macroscopically inhomogeneous collapsed configurations contribute dominantly. In the quenched averaging, the collapse of the massless scalar field theory is prevented and the system becomes an ideal gas which is at infinite temperature. Our results are obtained using exact scaling analysis. We also show approximately that SU(N) gauge theory collapses for dimensions greater than four in the annealed average. Within the same approximation, the collapse is prevented in the quenched average. We also obtain exact scaling differential equations satisfied by the generating function and physical quantities.     

Critical behaviour of random-bond Potts models: a transfer matrix study

We study the two-dimensional Potts model on the square lattice in the presence of quenched random-bond impurities. For q > 4 the first-order transitions of the pure model are softened due to the impurities, and we determine the resulting universality classes by combining transfer matrix data with conformal invariance. The magnetic exponent β/v varies continuously with q, assuming non-Ising values for q > 4, whereas the correlation length exponent ν is numerically consistent with unity. We present evidence for the correctness of a formerly proposed phase diagram, unifying pure, percolative and non-trivial random behaviour.     

Disorder-induced quantum-Griffiths-like features from a non-conventional renormalization group analysis near four dimensions

We investigate the role played by symmetry conserving quenched disorder on quantum criticality of a variety of d-dimensional systems with a continuous symmetry order parameter. We employ a non-standard procedure which combines a preliminary reduction to an effective classical random problem and a successive conventional renormalization group treatment. Solving the effective flow equations to first order in ε=4−d and then restoring the original coupling parameters, for d<4 we find a quantum critical point scenario exhibiting unusual features, which remind us of some predictions of the quantum Griffiths phase model.     

Virasoro Correlation Functions on Hyperelliptic Riemann Surfaces

N-point functions of holomorphic fields in conformal field theories can be calculated by methods from algebraic geometry. We establish explicit formulas for the 2-point function of the Virasoro field on hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces of genus g ≥  1. Virasoro N-point functions for higher N are obtained inductively, and we show that they have a nice graph representation. We discuss the 3-point function with application to the (2,5) minimal model.     

The Random Average Process and Random Walk in a Space-Time Random Environment in One Dimension

We study space-time fluctuations around a characteristic line for a one-dimensional interacting system known as the random average process. The state of this system is a real-valued function on the integers. New values of the function are created by averaging previous values with random weights. The fluctuations analyzed occur on the scale n ^1/4, where n is the ratio of macroscopic and microscopic scales in the system. The limits of the fluctuations are described by a family of Gaussian processes. In cases of known product-form invariant distributions, this limit is a two-parameter process whose time marginals are fractional Brownian motions with Hurst parameter 1/4. Along the way we study the limits of quenched mean processes for a random walk in a space-time random environment. These limits also happen at scale n ^1/4 and are described by certain Gaussian processes that we identify. In particular, when we look at a backward quenched mean process, the limit process is the solution of a stochastic heat equation.     

Random field effects on the phase diagrams of spin-1/2 Ising model on a honeycomb lattice

The Ising model with quenched random magnetic fields is examined for single Gaussian, bimodal and double Gaussian random field distributions by introducing an effective field approximation that takes into account the correlations between different spins that emerge when expanding the identities. Random field distribution shape dependence of the phase diagrams, magnetization and internal energy is investigated for a honeycomb lattice with a coordination number q=3. The conditions for the occurrence of reentrant behavior and tricritical points on the system are also discussed in detail.