Quantum Foam and Topological Strings

2003/12/02 by A. Iqbal, N. Nekrasov, A. Okounkov +1 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1126-6708/2008/04/011

published as JHEP 0804:011,2008 · 55 pages

arxiv published 2003/12/02 · arxiv created 2003/12/22 · arxiv updated 2003/12/22

Abstract

We find an interpretation of the recent connection found between topological strings on Calabi-Yau threefolds and crystal melting: Summing over statistical mechanical configuration of melting crystal is equivalent to a quantum gravitational path integral involving fluctuations of Kahler geometry and topology. We show how the limit shape of the melting crystal emerges as the average geometry and topology of the quantum foam at the string scale. The geometry is classical at large length scales, modified to a smooth limit shape dictated by mirror geometry at string scale and is a quantum foam at area scales g_s α'.

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Discussions

• should really study this paper carefully arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0... [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]