Tachyon Backgrounds in 2D String Theory

We consider the construction of tachyonic backgrounds in two-dimensional string theory, focusing on the Sine-Liouville background. This can be studied in two different ways, one within the context of collective field theory and the other via the formalism of Toda integrable systems. The two approaches are seemingly different. The latter involves a deformation of the original inverted oscillator potential while the former does not. We perform a comparison by explicitly constructing the Fermi surface in each case, and demonstrate that the two apparently different approaches are in fact equivalent.Comment: 25 pages, no figure

Collective Field Description of Matrix Cosmologies

We study the Das-Jevicki collective field description of arbitrary classical solutions in the c=1 matrix model, which are believed to describe nontrivial spacetime backgrounds in 2d string theory. Our analysis naturally includes the case of a Fermi droplet cosmology: a finite size droplet of Fermi fluid, made up of a finite number of eigenvalues. We analyze properties of the coordinates in which the metric in the collective field theory is trivial, and comment on the form of the interaction terms in these coordinates.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure. v2: Typos corrected, JHEP styl

Condensing Momentum Modes in 2-d 0A String Theory with Flux

We use a combination of conformal perturbation theory techniques and matrix model results to study the effects of perturbing by momentum modes two dimensional type 0A strings with non-vanishing Ramond-Ramond (RR) flux. In the limit of large RR flux (equivalently, mu=0) we find an explicit analytic form of the genus zero partition function in terms of the RR flux $q$ and the momentum modes coupling constant alpha. The analyticity of the partition function enables us to go beyond the perturbative regime and, for alpha>> q, obtain the partition function in a background corresponding to the momentum modes condensation. For momenta such that 0<p<2 we find no obstruction to condensing the momentum modes in the phase diagram of the partition function.Comment: 22 page

Brane Intersections in the Presence of a Worldvolume Electric Field

The study of brane intersections has provided important insights into a possible non-commutative structure of spacetime geometry. In this paper we focus on the D1$\bot$D3 system. We compare the D1 and D3 descriptions of the interesection and search for non-static solutions of the D3$\bot$D1 funnel equations in the presence of a worldvolume electric field. We find that the D1 and D3 descriptions do not agree. We find time dependent solutions that are a natural generalization of those found without the electric field.Comment: 10 page

Areas and entropies in BFSS/gravity duality

The BFSS matrix model provides an example of gauge-theory / gravity duality where the gauge theory is a model of ordinary quantum mechanics with no spatial subsystems. If there exists a general connection between areas and entropies in this model similar to the Ryu-Takayanagi formula, the entropies must be more general than the usual subsystem entanglement entropies. In this note, we first investigate the extremal surfaces in the geometries dual to the BFSS model at zero and finite temperature. We describe a method to associate regulated areas to these surfaces and calculate the areas explicitly for a family of surfaces preserving $SO(8)$ symmetry, both at zero and finite temperature. We then discuss possible entropic quantities in the matrix model that could be dual to these regulated areas.Comment: 29 pages, 3 figures. v2 Examples in section 6 moved to appendix. Minor comments adde

Quadratic alpha' corrections to T-duality

The quadratic alpha' corrections to the two-dimensional black hole and to its T-dual are calculated. These backgrounds are used to write the covariant form of the quadratic alpha' corrections to the T-duality for general time-dependent backgrounds of dilaton and diagonal metric in the bosonic string theory.Comment: 15 pages, JHEP; typos corrected, references adde

Energy Quantisation in Bulk Bouncing Tachyon

We argue that the closed string energy in the bulk bouncing tachyon background is to be quantised in a simple manner as if strings were trapped in a finite time interval. We discuss it from three different viewpoints; (1) the timelike continuation of the sinh-Gordon model, (2) the dual matrix model description of the (1+1)-dimensional string theory with the bulk bouncing tachyon condensate, (3) the c_L=1 limit of the timelike Liouville theory with the dual Liouville potential turned on. There appears to be a parallel between the bulk bouncing tachyon and the full S-brane of D-brane decay. We find the critical value \lambda_c of the bulk bouncing tachyon coupling which is analogous to \lambda_o=1/2 of the full S-brane coupling, at which the system is thought to be at the bottom of the tachyon potential.Comment: 25 pages, minor changes, one reference adde

The stringy nature of the 2d type-0A black hole

We investigate the thermodynamics of the RR charged two-dimensional type-0A black hole background at finite temperature, and compare with known 0A matrix model results. It has been claimed that there is a disagreement for the free energy between the spacetime and the dual matrix model. Here we find that this discrepancy is sensitive to how the cutoff is implemented on the spacetime side. In particular, the disagreement is resolved once we put the cutoff at a fixed distance away from the horizon, as opposed to a fixed position in space. Furthermore, the mass and the entropy of the black hole itself add up to an analytic contribution to the free energy, which is precisely reproduced by the 0A matrix model. We also use results from the 0A matrix model to predict the next to leading order contribution to the entropy of the black hole. Finally, we note that the black hole is characterized by a Hagedorn growth in its density of states below the Hagedorn temperature. This, together with other results, suggests there is a phase transition at this temperature.Comment: 1+21 pages; v2: Substantial changes in the body of the paper, main results the same. Clarified discussion on the thermodynamics, added section on a phase transition, references added. v3: Typos corrected. v4: Final version, to appear in JHE

c < 1 String from Two Dimensional Black Holes

We study a topological string description of the c < 1 non-critical string whose matter part is defined by the time-like linear dilaton CFT. We show that the topologically twisted N=2 SL(2,R)/U(1) model (or supersymmetric 2D black hole) is equivalent to the c < 1 non-critical string compactified at a specific radius by comparing their physical spectra and correlation functions. We examine another equivalent description in the topological Landau-Ginzburg model and check that it reproduces the same scattering amplitudes. We also discuss its matrix model dual description.Comment: 36 pages, harvmac; acknowledgements, comments and references adde