Loops versus Matrices - The nonperturbative aspects of noncritical string

Abstract

The nonperturbative aspects of string theory are explored for non-critical string in two distinct formulations: loop equations and matrix models. The effects corresponding to D-brane in these formulations are especially investigated in detail. It is shown that matrix models can universally yield a definite value of the chemical potential for an instanton while loop equations can not. This implies that string theory may not be nonperturbatively formulated solely in terms of closed strings.

58 pages, 3 figures, PTPTeX, published version