Noncritical M-Theory in 2+1 Dimensions as a Nonrelativistic Fermi Liquid
Abstract
We claim that the dynamics of noncritical string theories in two dimensions is related to an underlying noncritical version of M-theory, which we define in terms of a double-scaled nonrelativistic Fermi liquid in 2+1 dimensions. After reproducing Type 0A and 0B string theories as solutions, we study the natural M-theory vacuum. The vacuum energy of this solution can be evaluated exactly, its form suggesting a duality to the Debye model of phonons in a melting solid, and a possible topological nature of the theory. The physical spacetime is emergent in this theory, only for states that admit a hydrodynamic description. Among the solutions of the hydrodynamic equations of motion for the Fermi surface, we find families describing the decay of one two-dimensional string theory into another via an intermediate M-theory phase.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/0508024,
title = {Noncritical M-Theory in 2+1 Dimensions as a Nonrelativistic Fermi Liquid},
author = {Petr Horava and Cynthia A. Keeler},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0508024},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
47 pages, 1 figure; v2: typos corrected, references added