Two-dimensional Yang-Mills Theories Are String Theories

Abstract

We show that two-dimensional SO(N) and Sp(N) Yang-Mills theories without fermions can be interpreted as closed string theories. The terms in the 1/N expansion of the partition function on an orientable or nonorientable manifold M can be associated with maps from a string worldsheet onto M. These maps are unbranched and branched covers of M with an arbitrary number of infinitesimal worldsheet cross-caps mapped to points in M. These string theories differ from SU(N) Yang-Mills string theory in that they involve odd powers of 1/N and require both orientable and nonorientable worldsheets.

(two references added; one old, one recent) 14pages, Latex, BRX-TH-346, JHU-TIPAC-930015

References in corpus (4)

• Large $N$ Phase Transition in Continuum QCD${}_2$
• Two Dimensional QCD as a String Theory
• Summing Over Inequivalent Maps in the String Theory Interpretation of Two Dimensional QCD
• Conformal Field Theory Techniques for Large N Group Theory

Cited by in corpus (22)

• Large N Field Theories, String Theory and Gravity
• Exact Correlators of Giant Gravitons from dual N=4 SYM
• The String Theory Approach to Generalized 2D Yang-Mills Theory
• Large $N$ Phases of Chiral QCD_2
• Topological Rigid String Theory and Two Dimensional QCD
• Holomorphic maps and the complete 1/N expansion of 2D SU(N) Yang-Mills
• Exact probes of orientifolds
• Comment on Two Dimensional O(N) and Sp(N) Yang Mills Theories as String Theories
• Strings and Two-dimensional QCD for Finite N
• Evaluation of the Free Energy of Two-Dimensional Yang-Mills Theory
• Entanglement entropy and the large $N$ expansion of two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory
• Permutation symmetry in large N Matrix Quantum Mechanics and Partition Algebras
• Decomposition and the Gross-Taylor string theory
• The Gauged Vector Model in Four-Dimensions: Resolution of an Old Problem?
• Twist Points as Branch Points for the QCD${}_2$ String
• Large-N Universality of the Two-Dimensional Yang-Mills String
• Vacuum Structure of Two-Dimensional Gauge Theories for Arbitrary Lie Groups
• Field Strength Correlators For 2D Yang-Mills Over Riemann Surfaces
• The Non-Abelian Coulomb Phase of the Gauged Vector Model at Large N
• The Master Field For 2D QCD On The Sphere
• Topology Change and theta-Vacua in 2D Yang-Mills Theory
• Wilson loop expectations as sums over surfaces on the plane