Surprising Pfaffian factorizations in random matrix theory with Dyson index β = 2

The unitary Wilson random matrix theory is an interpolation between the chiral Gaussian unitary ensemble and the Gaussian unitary ensemble. This new way of interpolation is also reflected in the orthogonal polynomials corresponding to such a random matrix ensemble. Although the chiral Gaussian unitary ensemble and the Gaussian unitary ensemble are associated with the Dyson index β = 2, the intermediate ensembles exhibit a mixing of orthogonal polynomials and skew-orthogonal polynomials. We consider the Hermitian and the non-Hermitian Wilson random matrix and derive the corresponding polynomials, their recursion relations, Christoffel–Darboux-like formulas, Rodrigues formulas and representations as random matrix averages in a unifying way. With the help of these results, we derive the unquenched k-point correlation function of the Hermitian and the non-Hermitian Wilson random matrix in terms of two-flavor partition functions only. This representation is due to a Pfaffian factorization. It drastically simplifies the expressions, which can be easily numerically evaluated. It also serves as a good starting point for studying the Wilson–Dirac operator in the ϵ-regime of lattice quantum chromodynamics.

There is considerable interest in understanding the relation between random-matrix ensembles and quantum chaotic systems in the context of the universality of energy-level correlations. In this connection, while Gaussian ensembles of random matrices have been studied extensively, not much is known about ensembles with non-Gaussian weight functions. Dyson has shown that the n-level correlation functions can be expressed in terms of a kernel function involving orthogonal and skew-orthogonal polynomials--orthogonal for matrix ensembles with unitary invariance and skew orthogonal for ensembles with orthogonal and symplectic invariances. We have obtained the following results. (1) Skew-orthogonal polynomials of both types are derived for the Jacobi class of weight functions including the limiting cases of associated Laguerre and Hermite (or Gaussian). (2) Matrix-integral representations are given for the general weight functions. (3) Asymptotic forms of the polynomials are obtained rigorously for the Jacobi class and in the form of an ansatz for the general case. (4) For the three types of ensembles, the (asymptotic) n-level correlation functions with appropriate scaling are shown to be universal, being independent of the weight function and location in the spectrum, and identical with the well-known Gaussian results. This provides a rigorous justification for the universality of the Gaussian ensemble results observed in quantum chaotic systems. As expected, the level density is not universal.

Random matrix theory and symmetric spaces

We consider random normal matrix and planar symplectic ensembles, which can be interpreted as two-dimensional Coulomb gases having determinantal and Pfaffian structures, respectively. For a class of radially symmetric potentials with soft edges, we derive the asymptotic expansions of the log-partition functions up to and including the O(1)-terms as the number N of particles increases. Notably, our findings stress that the formulas of the $$O(\log N)$$ - and O(1)-terms in these expansions depend on the connectivity of the droplet. For random normal matrix ensembles, our formulas agree with the predictions proposed by Zabrodin and Wiegmann up to an additive constant depending on N but not on the background potential. For planar symplectic ensembles, the expansions contain a new kind of ingredient in the O(N)-terms, the logarithmic potential evaluated at the origin in addition to the entropy of the ensembles.

We generalize the recently discovered relationship between JT gravity and double-scaled random matrix theory to the case that the boundary theory may have time-reversal symmetry and may have fermions with or without supersymmetry. The matching between variants of JT gravity and matrix ensembles depends on the assumed symmetries. Time-reversal symmetry in the boundary theory means that unorientable spacetimes must be considered in the bulk. In such a case, the partition function of JT gravity is still related to the volume of the moduli space of conformal structures, but this volume has a quantum correction and has to be computed using Reidemeister-Ray-Singer "torsion." Presence of fermions in the boundary theory (and thus a symmetry $(-1)^F$) means that the bulk has a spin or pin structure. Supersymmetry in the boundary means that the bulk theory is associated to JT supergravity and is related to the volume of the moduli space of super Riemann surfaces rather than of ordinary Riemann surfaces. In all cases we match JT gravity or supergravity with an appropriate random matrix ensemble. All ten standard random matrix ensembles make an appearance -- the three Dyson ensembles and the seven Altland-Zirnbauer ensembles. To facilitate the analysis, we extend to the other ensembles techniques that are most familiar in the case of the original Wigner-Dyson ensemble of hermitian matrices. We also generalize Mirzakhani's recursion for the volumes of ordinary moduli space to the case of super Riemann surfaces.

We study the distribution of the largest eigenvalue in the "Pfaffian" classical ensembles of random matrix theory, namely in the Gaussian orthogonal (GOE) and Gaussian symplectic (GSE) ensembles, using semi-classical skew-orthogonal polynomials, in analogue to the approach of Nadal and Majumdar (NM) for the Gaussian unitary ensemble (GUE). Generalizing the techniques of Adler, Forrester, Nagao and van Moerbeke, and using "overlapping Pfaffian" identities due to Knuth, we explicitly construct these semi-classical skew-orthogonal polynomials in terms of the semi-classical orthogonal polynomials studied by NM in the case of the GUE. With these polynomials we obtain expressions for the cumulative distribution functions of the largest eigenvalue in the GOE and the GSE. Further, by performing asymptotic analysis of these skew-orthogonal polynomials in the limit of large matrix size, we obtain an alternative derivation of the Tracy-Widom distributions for GOE and GSE. This asymptotic analysis relies on a certain Pfaffian identity, the proof of which employs the characterization of Pfaffians in terms of perfect matchings and link diagrams.

We study the spectral properties of and spectral crossovers between different random matrix ensembles [Poissonian, Gaussian orthogonal ensemble (GOE), Gaussian unitary ensemble (GUE)] in correlated spin-chain systems, in the presence of random magnetic fields, and the scalar spin-chirality term, competing with the usual isotropic and time-reversal invariant Heisenberg term. We have investigated these crossovers in the context of the level-spacing distribution and the level-spacing ratio distribution. We use random matrix theory (RMT) analytical results to fit the observed Poissonian-to-GOE and GOE-to-GUE crossovers, and examine the relationship between the RMT crossover parameter $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ and scaled physical parameters of the spin-chain systems in terms of a scaling exponent. We find that the crossover behavior exhibits universality, in the sense that, it becomes independent of lattice size in the large Hamiltonian matrix dimension limit. Moreover, the scaling exponent obtained from such a finite size scaling analysis, seems to be quite robust and independent of the type of crossover considered or the specific spectral correlation measure used.

We study skew-orthogonal polynomials with respect to the weight function exp [ − 2V(x)], with V(x) = ∑2dK=1(uK/K)xK, u2d > 0, d > 0. A finite subsequence of such skew-orthogonal polynomials arising in the study of orthogonal and symplectic ensembles of random matrices satisfies a system of differential-difference-deformation equation. The vectors formed by such subsequence have the rank equal to the degree of the potential in the quaternion sense. These solutions satisfy certain compatibility condition and hence admit a simultaneous fundamental system of solutions.

We give expansions of reproducing kernels of the Christoffel–Darboux type in terms of Schur polynomials. For this, we use evaluations of averages of characteristic polynomials and Schur polynomials in random matrix ensembles. We explicitly compute new Schur averages, such as the Schur average in a q-Laguerre ensemble, and the ensuing expansions of random matrix kernels. In addition to classical and q-deformed cases on the real line, we use extensions of Dotsenko–Fateev integrals to obtain expressions for kernels on the complex plane. Moreover, a known interplay between Wronskians of Laguerre polynomials, Painlevé tau functions and conformal block expansions is discussed in relationship to the Schur expansion obtained.

This chapter is devoted to statistical nuclear physics with SU(3) in the context of statistical nuclear spectroscopy and random matrix theory. First, some general aspects of trace propagation are described and trace propagation formulas for traces over SU(3) irreps, in SM and IBM spaces, in four different situations are given with applications to test the goodness of SU(3) symmetry in (2s1d) shell nuclei and also for understanding regularities generated by random interactions. Going beyond this, presented also are : (i) results for nuclear level density enhancement in deformed nuclei using the SU(3) symmetry of sdIBM-1; (ii) brief derivation of the asymptotic formula for the SU(3) multiplicities in the \(\{m\} \rightarrow (\lambda \mu )\) reduction for \(U((\eta +1)(\eta +2)/2) \supset SU(3)\); (iii) some results for the EGUE(2)-SU(3) random matrix ensemble with SU(3) symmetry.

We examine random matrix models of QCD which are capable of supporting both chiral and diquark condensation. A numerical study of the spectral densities near zero virtuality shows that the introduction of color in the interactions does not alter the one-body results imposed by chiral symmetry. A model with three colors has the spectral density predicted for the chiral ensemble with a Dyson index $\ensuremath{\beta}=2;$ a pseudoreal model with two colors exhibits the spectral density of the chiral ensemble with $\ensuremath{\beta}=1.$

We calculate the time-evolution of a discrete-time fragmentation process in which clusters of particles break up and reassemble and move stochastically with size-dependent rates. In the continuous-time limit the process turns into the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (only pieces of size 1 break off a given cluster). We express the exact solution of master equation for the process in terms of a determinant which can be derived using the Bethe ansatz. From this determinant we compute the distribution of the current across an arbitrary bond which after appropriate scaling is given by the distribution of the largest eigenvalue of the Gaussian unitary ensemble of random matrices. This result confirms universality of the scaling form of the current distribution in the KPZ universality class and suggests that there is a link between integrable particle systems and random matrix ensembles.

We study CMV matrices (discrete one-dimensional Dirac-type operators) with random decaying coefficients. Under mild assumptions, we identify the local eigenvalue statistics in the natural scaling limit. For rapidly decreasing coefficients, the eigenvalues have rigid spacing (like the numerals on a clock); in the case of slow decrease, the eigenvalues are distributed according to a Poisson process. For a certain critical rate of decay, we obtain the β-ensembles of random matrix theory. The temperature β−1 appears as the square of the coupling constant

At low temperature the low end of the QCD Dirac spectrum is well described by chiral random matrix theory. In contrast, at high temperature there is no similar statistical description of the spectrum. We show that at high temperature the lowest part of the spectrum consists of a band of statistically uncorrelated eigenvalues obeying essentially Poisson statistics and the corresponding eigenvectors are extremely localized. Going up in the spectrum the spectral density rapidly increases and the eigenvectors become more and more delocalized. At the same time the spectral statistics gradually crosses over to the bulk statistics expected from the corresponding random matrix ensemble. This phenomenon is reminiscent of Anderson localization in disordered conductors. Our findings are based on staggered Dirac spectra in quenched lattice simulations with the SU(2) gauge group.

We develop a framework for establishing the Law of Large Numbers for the eigenvalues in the random matrix ensembles as the size of the matrix goes to infinity simultaneously with the beta (inverse temperature) parameter going to zero. Our approach is based on the analysis of the (symmetric) Dunkl transform in this regime. As an application we obtain the LLN for the sums of random matrices as the inverse temperature goes to 0. This results in a one-parameter family of binary operations which interpolates between classical and free convolutions of the probability measures. We also introduce and study a family of deformed cumulants, which linearize this operation.