Stringy Instantons

TL;DR

This paper extends collective field theory of matrix models to include stringy instantons, revealing their role in tunneling between vacua and inducing non-perturbative effects in string theory.

Contribution

It introduces a Lorentz invariant extension of collective field theory that incorporates stringy instantons and explains their impact on non-perturbative phenomena.

Findings

Stringy instantons tunnel between vacua in the extended theory.

Instantons induce non-perturbative operators with strength e^{-1/g}.

The relationship between world sheet string theory, Liouville theory, and space-time effective theory is clarified.

Abstract

A canonical Lorentz invariant field theory extension of collective field theory of d=1 matrix models is presented. We show that the low density, discrete, sector of collective field theory includes single eigenvalue Euclidean instantons which tunnel between different vacua of the extended theory. These "stringy" instantons induce non-perturbative effective operators of strength $e^{-{1/g}}$. The relationship of the world sheet description of string theory and Liouville theory to the effective space-time theory is explained.