Borel and Stokes Nonperturbative Phenomena in Topological String Theory and c=1 Matrix Models

TL;DR

This paper investigates the nonperturbative effects in topological string theory and c=1 matrix models, using Borel analysis and hyperasymptotics to understand instantons, Stokes phenomena, and their physical interpretations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed Borel analysis of instanton effects in various models and relates them to Stokes phenomena and D-brane instantons, advancing understanding of nonperturbative structures.

Findings

Exact multi-instanton corrections obtained via Borel analysis.

Large-order behavior linked to Borel plane poles.

Nonperturbative effects matched with D-brane instantons.

Abstract

We address the nonperturbative structure of topological strings and c=1 matrix models, focusing on understanding the nature of instanton effects alongside with exploring their relation to the large-order behavior of the 1/N expansion. We consider the Gaussian, Penner and Chern-Simons matrix models, together with their holographic duals, the c=1 minimal string at self-dual radius and topological string theory on the resolved conifold. We employ Borel analysis to obtain the exact all-loop multi-instanton corrections to the free energies of the aforementioned models, and show that the leading poles in the Borel plane control the large-order behavior of perturbation theory. We understand the nonperturbative effects in terms of the Schwinger effect and provide a semiclassical picture in terms of eigenvalue tunneling between critical points of the multi-sheeted matrix model effective potentials. In particular, we relate instantons to Stokes phenomena via a hyperasymptotic analysis, providing a smoothing of the nonperturbative ambiguity. Our predictions for the multi-instanton expansions are confirmed within the trans-series set-up, which in the double-scaling limit describes nonperturbative corrections to the Toda equation. Finally, we provide a spacetime realization of our nonperturbative corrections in terms of toric D-brane instantons which, in the double-scaling limit, precisely match D-instanton contributions to c=1 minimal strings.