Related papers: Strings and matrix models on genus g Riemann Surfa…

This is a review of some beautiful matrix models related to the moduli space of Riemann surfaces as well as to noncritical c=1 string theory at self-dual radius. These include the Penner model and the W-infinity model, which have different…

We construct a string theory realization of the 4+1d quantum Hall effect recently discovered by Zhang and Hu. The string theory picture contains coincident D4-branes forming an S^4 and having D0-branes (i.e. instantons) in their…

String phenomenology is the branch of string theory concerned with making contact with particle physics. The original models involved compactifying ten-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on an internal Calabi-Yau three-fold. In…

We discuss an explicit construction of a string dual for the Gaussian matrix model. Starting from the matrix model and employing Strebel differential techniques we deduce hints about the structure of the dual string. Next, following these…

We present a first step towards generalizing the work of Seiberg and Witten on N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory to arbitrary gauge groups. Specifically, we propose a particular sequence of hyperelliptic genus $n-1$ Riemann surfaces to…

The role of integrable systems in string theory is discussed. We remind old examples of the correspondence between stringy partition functions or effective actions and integrable equations, based on effective application of the matrix model…

Let $\Sigma$ be a closed surface, $G$ a compact Lie group, with Lie algebra $g$, and $\xi \colon P \to \Sigma$ a principal $G$-bundle. In earlier work we have shown that the moduli space $N(\xi)$ of central Yang- Mills connections, for…

I argue that string theory compactified on a Riemann surface crosses over at small volume to a higher dimensional background of supercritical string theory. Several concrete measures of the count of degrees of freedom of the theory yield…

While the fundamental object in Riemannian geometry is a metric, closed string theories call for us to put a two-form gauge field and a scalar dilaton on an equal footing with the metric. Here we propose a novel differential geometry which…

In these lecture notes we explain a connection between Yang-Mills theory on arbitrary Riemann surfaces and two types of topological field theory, the so called $BF$ and cohomological theories. The quantum Yang-Mills theory is solved exactly…

It has been known since 1981 that if one fixes an orientable surface $S$ of genus $g$, then there is a real number $\lambda_{min,g} > 1$ that is the dilatation of a pA diffeomorphism of $S$, and every other pA diffeomorphism of $S$ has…

We explore further the Hamiltonian formulation of Yang-Mills theory in 2+1 dimensions in terms of gauge-invariant matrix variables. Coupling to scalar matter fields is discussed in terms of gauge-invariant fields. We analyze how the…

Motivated by the possibility of an effective string description for the infrared limit of pure Yang-Mills theory, we present a toy model for an effective theory of random surfaces propagating in a target space of $D>2$. We show that the…

The correspondence between Matrix String Theory in the strong coupling limit and IIA superstring theory can be shown by means of the instanton solutions of the former. We construct the general instanton solutions of Matrix String Theory…

We investigate the low energy continuum limit theory for electrons in a graphene sheet under strain. We use the quantum field theory in curved spaces to analyze the effect of the system deformations into an effective gauge field. We study…

We formulate and solve a class of two-dimensional matrix gauge models describing ensembles of non-folding surfaces covering an oriented, discretized, two-dimensional manifold. We interpret the models as string theories characterized by a…

We give a complete proof of local background independence of the classical master action for closed strings by constructing explicitly, for any two nearby conformal theories in a CFT theory space, a symplectic diffeomorphism between their…

We count the number of bound states of BPS black holes on local Calabi-Yau three-folds involving a Riemann surface of genus g. We show that the corresponding gauge theory on the brane reduces to a q-deformed Yang-Mills theory on the Riemann…

Since any string theory involves a path integration on the world-sheet metric, their partition functions are volume forms on the moduli space of genus g Riemann surfaces M_g, or on its super analog. It is well known that modular invariance…

In these introductory notes I explain some basic ideas in string field theory. These include: the concept of a string field, the issue of background independence, the reason why minimal area metrics solve the problem of generating all…