Unitary One Matrix Models: String Equations and Flows

We review the Symmetric Unitary One Matrix Models. In particular we discuss the string equation in the operator formalism, the mKdV flows and the Virasoro Constraints. We focus on the \t-function formalism for the flows and we describe its connection to the (big cell of the) Sato Grassmannian \Gr via the Plucker embedding of \Gr into a fermionic Fock space. Then the space of solutions to the string equation is an explicitly computable subspace of \Gr\times\Gr which is invariant under the flows.Comment: 20 pages (Invited talk delivered by M. J. Bowick at the Vth Regional Conference on Mathematical Physics, Edirne Turkey: December 15-22, 1991.

Abelian gauge fields coupled to simplicial quantum gravity

We study the coupling of Abelian gauge theories to four-dimensional simplicial quantum gravity. The gauge fields live on dual links. This is the correct formulation if we want to compare the effect of gauge fields on geometry with similar effects studied so far for scalar fields. It shows that gauge fields couple equally weakly to geometry as scalar fields, and it offers an understanding of the relation between measure factors and Abelian gauge fields observed so-far.Comment: 20 page

Singularities of the Partition Function for the Ising Model Coupled to 2d Quantum Gravity

We study the zeros in the complex plane of the partition function for the Ising model coupled to 2d quantum gravity for complex magnetic field and real temperature, and for complex temperature and real magnetic field, respectively. We compute the zeros by using the exact solution coming from a two matrix model and by Monte Carlo simulations of Ising spins on dynamical triangulations. We present evidence that the zeros form simple one-dimensional curves in the complex plane, and that the critical behaviour of the system is governed by the scaling of the distribution of the singularities near the critical point. Despite the small size of the systems studied, we can obtain a reasonable estimate of the (known) critical exponents.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX2e, 10 figures, added discussion on antiferromagnetic transition and reference

A general approach to the sign problem - the factorization method with multiple observables

The sign problem is a notorious problem, which occurs in Monte Carlo simulations of a system with the partition function whose integrand is not real positive. The basic idea of the factorization method applied on such a system is to control some observables in order to determine and sample efficiently the region of configuration space which gives important contribution to the partition function. We argue that it is crucial to choose appropriately the set of the observables to be controlled in order for the method to work successfully in a general system. This is demonstrated by an explicit example, in which it turns out to be necessary to control more than one observables. Extrapolation to large system size is possible due to the nice scaling properties of the factorized functions, and known results obtained by an analytic method are shown to be consistently reproduced.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, (v2) references added (v3) Sections IV, V and VI improved, final version accepted by PR

The Area Law in Matrix Models for Large N QCD Strings

We study the question whether matrix models obtained in the zero volume limit of 4d Yang-Mills theories can describe large N QCD strings. The matrix model we use is a variant of the Eguchi-Kawai model in terms of Hermitian matrices, but without any twists or quenching. This model was originally proposed as a toy model of the IIB matrix model. In contrast to common expectations, we do observe the area law for Wilson loops in a significant range of scale of the loop area. Numerical simulations show that this range is stable as N increases up to 768, which strongly suggests that it persists in the large N limit. Hence the equivalence to QCD strings may hold for length scales inside a finite regime.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

A Study of the Complex Action Problem in a Simple Model for Dynamical Compactification in Superstring Theory Using the Factorization Method

The IIB matrix model proposes a mechanism for dynamically generating four dimensional space--time in string theory by spontaneous breaking of the ten dimensional rotational symmetry $\textrm{SO}(10)$. Calculations using the Gaussian expansion method (GEM) lend support to this conjecture. We study a simple $\textrm{SO}(4)$ invariant matrix model using Monte Carlo simulations and we confirm that its rotational symmetry breaks down, showing that lower dimensional configurations dominate the path integral. The model has a strong complex action problem and the calculations were made possible by the use of the factorization method on the density of states $\rho_n(x)$ of properly normalized eigenvalues $\tilde\lambda_n$ of the space--time moment of inertia tensor. We study scaling properties of the factorized terms of $\rho_n(x)$ and we find them in agreement with simple scaling arguments. These can be used in the finite size scaling extrapolation and in the study of the region of configuration space obscured by the large fluctuations of the phase. The computed values of $\tilde\lambda_n$ are in reasonable agreement with GEM calculations and a numerical method for comparing the free energy of the corresponding ansatze is proposed and tested.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Talk presented at the XXVIII International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, Lattice2010, Villasimius, Italy, June 201

Monte Carlo Studies of the Dimensionally Reduced 4d SU(N) Super Yang-Mills Theory

We simulate a supersymmetric matrix model obtained from dimensional reduction of 4d SU(N) super Yang-Mills theory. The model is well defined for finite N and it is found that the large N limit obtained by keeping g^2 N fixed gives rise to well defined operators which represent string amplitudes. The space-time structure which arises dynamically from the eigenvalues of the bosonic matrices is discussed, as well as the effect of supersymmetry on the dynamical properties of the model. Eguchi-Kawai equivalence of this model to ordinary gauge theory does hold within a finite range of scale. We report on new simulations of the bosonic model for N up to 768 that confirm this property, which comes as a surprise since no quenching or twist is introduced.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, Talk presented by K.N.A. at the HEP 2000 Annual Workshop of the Hellenic Society for the Study of High Energy Physics at the University of Ioannina. References added, minor correction