scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question

Showing papers by "Jeffrey Pennington published in 2010"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors uncover a remarkable role that an infinite hierarchy of non-linear differential equations plays in organizing and connecting certain {hat c} < 1 string theories non-perturbatively.
Abstract: We uncover a remarkable role that an infinite hierarchy of non-linear differential equations plays in organizing and connecting certain {hat c}<1 string theories non-perturbatively. We are able to embed the type 0A and 0B (A,A) minimal string theories into this single framework. The string theories arise as special limits of a rich system of equations underpinned by an integrable system known as the dispersive water wave hierarchy. We observe that there are several other string-like limits of the system, and conjecture that some of them are type IIA and IIB (A,D) minimal string backgrounds. We explain how these and several string-like special points arise and are connected. In some cases, the framework endows the theories with a non-perturbative definition for the first time. Notably, we discover that the Painleve IV equation plays a key role in organizing the string theory physics, joining its siblings, Painleve I and II, whose roles have previously been identified in this minimal string context.

1 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a combination of a 't Hooft limit and numerical methods is used to find non-perturbative solutions of exactly solvable string theories, showing that perturbative solution in different asymptotic regimes are connected by smooth interpolating functions.
Abstract: We use a combination of a 't Hooft limit and numerical methods to find non-perturbative solutions of exactly solvable string theories, showing that perturbative solutions in different asymptotic regimes are connected by smooth interpolating functions. Our earlier perturbative work showed that a large class of minimal string theories arise as special limits of a Painleve IV hierarchy of string equations that can be derived by a similarity reduction of the dispersive water wave hierarchy of differential equations. The hierarchy of string equations contains new perturbative solutions, some of which were conjectured to be the type IIA and IIB string theories coupled to (4,4k-2) superconformal minimal models of type (A,D). Our present paper shows that these new theories have smooth non-perturbative extensions. We also find evidence for putative new string theories that were not apparent in the perturbative analysis.