arXiv subjects

Vincent Vargas

Publications and source records attributed to Vincent Vargas.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Semiclassical limit of Liouville Field Theory

Liouville Field Theory (LFT for short) is a two dimensional model of random surfaces, which is for instance involved in $2d$ string theory or in the description of the fluctuations of metrics in $2d$ Liouville quantum gravity. This is a probabilistic model that consists in weighting the classical Free Field action with an interaction term given by the exponential of a Gaussian multiplicative chaos. The main input of our work is the study of the semiclassical limit of the theory, which is a prescribed asymptotic regime of LFT of interest in physics literature (see \cite{witten} and references therein). We derive exact formulas for the Laplace transform of the Liouville field in the case of flat metric on the unit disk with Dirichlet boundary conditions. As a consequence, we prove that the Liouville field concentrates on the solution of the classical Liouville equation with explicit negative scalar curvature. We also characterize the leading fluctuations, which are Gaussian and massive, and establish a large deviation principle. Though considered as an ansatz in the whole physics literature, it seems that it is the first rigorous probabilistic derivation of the semiclassical limit of LFT. On the other hand, we carry out the same analysis when we further weight the Liouville action with heavy matter operators. This procedure appears when computing the $n$-points correlation functions of LFT.

math.PR↗

arXiv2017

Liouville Quantum Gravity on the unit disk

Our purpose is to pursue the rigorous construction of Liouville Quantum Field Theory on Riemann surfaces initiated by F. David, A. Kupiainen and the last two authors in the context of the Riemann sphere and inspired by the 1981 seminal work by Polyakov. In this paper, we investigate the case of simply connected domains with boundary. We also make precise conjectures about the relationship of this theory to scaling limits of random planar maps with boundary conformally embedded onto the disk.

math.PR↗

arXiv2017

Local Conformal Structure of Liouville Quantum Gravity

Liouville Conformal Field Theory (LCFT) is an essential building block of Polyakov's formulation of non critical string theory. Moreover, scaling limits of statistical mechanics models on planar maps are believed by physicists to be described by LCFT. A rigorous probabilistic formulation of LCFT based on a path integral formulation was recently given by the present authors and F. David in \cite{DKRV}. In the present work, we prove the validity of the conformal Ward identities and the Belavin-Polyakov-Zamolodchikov (BPZ) differential equations (of order $2$) for the correlation functions of LCFT. This initiates the program started in the seminal work of Belavin-Polyakov-Zamolodchikov \cite{BPZ} in a probabilistic setup for a non-trivial Conformal Field Theory. We also prove several celebrated results on LCFT, in particular an explicit formula for the 4 point correlation functions (with insertion of a second order degenerate field) leading to a rigorous proof of a non trivial functional relation on the 3 point structure constants derived earlier in the physics literature by Teschner \cite{Tesc}. The proofs are based on exact identities which rely on the underlying Gaussian structure of LCFT combined with estimates from the theory of critical Gaussian Multiplicative Chaos and a careful analysis of singular integrals (Beurling transforms and generalizations). As a by-product, we give bounds on the correlation functions when two points collide making rigorous certain predictions from physics on the so-called "operator product expansion" of LCFT.

math.PR↗

arXiv2016

Liouville Brownian motion

We construct a stochastic process, called the Liouville Brownian motion, which is the Brownian motion associated to the metric $e^{γX(z)}\,dz^2$, $γ<γ_c=2$ and $X$ is a Gaussian Free Field. Such a process is conjectured to be related to the scaling limit of random walks on large planar maps eventually weighted by a model of statistical physics which are embedded in the Euclidean plane or in the sphere in a conformal manner. The construction amounts to changing the speed of a standard two-dimensional Brownian motion $B_t$ depending on the local behavior of the Liouville measure "$M_γ(dz)=e^{γX(z)}\,dz$". We prove that the associated Markov process is a Feller diffusion for all $γ<γ_c=2$ and that for all $γ<γ_c$, the Liouville measure $M_γ$ is invariant under $P_{\mathbf{t}}$. This Liouville Brownian motion enables us to introduce a whole set of tools of stochastic analysis in Liouville quantum gravity, which will be hopefully useful in analyzing the geometry of Liouville quantum gravity.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Liouville Quantum Gravity on the Riemann sphere

In this paper, we rigorously construct $2d$ Liouville Quantum Field Theory on the Riemann sphere introduced in the 1981 seminal work by Polyakov "Quantum Geometry of bosonic strings". We also establish some of its fundamental properties like conformal covariance under PSL$_2(\mathbb{C})$-action, Seiberg bounds, KPZ scaling laws, KPZ formula and the Weyl anomaly (Polyakov-Ray-Singer) formula for Liouville Quantum Gravity.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Renormalizability of Liouville Quantum Gravity at the Seiberg bound

Liouville Quantum Field Theory can be seen as a probabilistic theory of 2d Riemannian metrics $e^{ϕ(z)}dz^2$, conjecturally describing scaling limits of discrete $2d$-random surfaces. The law of the random field $ϕ$ in LQFT depends on weights $α\in \mathbb{R}$ that in classical Riemannian geometry parametrize power law singularities in the metric. A rigorous construction of LQFT has been carried out in \cite{DKRV} in the case when the weights are below the so called Seiberg bound: $α<Q$ where $Q$ parametrizes the random surface model in question. These correspond to conical singularities in the classical setup. In this paper, we construct LQFT in the case when the Seiberg bound is saturated which can be seen as the probabilistic version of Riemann surfaces with cusp singularities. Their construction involves methods from Gaussian Multiplicative Chaos theory at criticality.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Liouville Quantum Gravity on the complex tori

In this paper, we construct Liouville Quantum Field Theory (LQFT) on the toroidal topology in the spirit of the 1981 seminal work by Polyakov. Our approach follows the construction carried out by the authors together with A. Kupiainen in the case of the Riemann sphere. The difference is here that the moduli space for complex tori is non trivial. Modular properties of LQFT are thus investigated. This allows us to sum up the LQFT on complex tori over the moduli space, to compute the law of the random Liouville modulus, therefore recovering (and extending) formulae obtained by physicists, and make conjectures about the relationship with random planar maps of genus one, eventually weighted by a conformal field theory and conformally embedded onto the torus.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Continuity estimates for the complex cascade model on the phase boundary

We consider the complex branching random walk on a dyadic tree with Gaussian weights on the boundary between the diffuse phase and the glassy phase. We study the branching random walk in the space of continuous functions and establish convergence in this space. The main difficulty here is that the expected modulus of continuity of the limit is too weak in order to show tightness in the space of continuous functions by means of standard tools from the theory of stochastic processes.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Complex Gaussian multiplicative chaos

In this article, we study complex Gaussian multiplicative chaos. More precisely, we study the renormalization theory and the limit of the exponential of a complex log-correlated Gaussian field in all dimensions (including Gaussian Free Fields in dimension 2). Our main working assumption is that the real part and the imaginary part are independent. We also discuss applications in 2D string theory; in particular we give a rigorous mathematical definition of the so-called Tachyon fields, the conformally invariant operators in critical Liouville Quantum Gravity with a c=1 central charge, and derive the original KPZ formula for these fields.

math.PR↗

arXiv2015

Liouville Brownian motion at criticality

In this paper, we construct the Brownian motion of Liouville Quantum Gravity with central charge $c=1$ (more precisely we restrict to the corresponding free field theory). Liouville quantum gravity with $c=1$ corresponds to two-dimensional string theory and is the conjectural scaling limit of large planar maps weighted with a $O(n=2)$ loop model or a $Q=4$-state Potts model embedded in a two dimensional surface in a conformal manner. Following \cite{GRV1}, we start by constructing the critical LBM from one fixed point $x\in\mathbb{R}^2$ (or $x\in§^2$), which amounts to changing the speed of a standard planar Brownian motion depending on the local behaviour of the critical Liouville measure $M'(dx)=-X(x)e^{2X(x)}\,dx$ (where $X$ is a Gaussian Free Field, say on $\mathbb{S}^2$). Extending this construction simultaneously to all points in $\mathbb{R}^2$ requires a fine analysis of the potential properties of the measure $M'$. This allows us to construct a strong Markov process with continuous sample paths living on the support of $M'$, namely a dense set of Hausdorff dimension $0$. We finally construct the associated Liouville semigroup, resolvent, Green function, heat kernel and Dirichlet form. In passing, we extend to quite a general setting the construction of the critical Gaussian multiplicative chaos that was initiated in \cite{Rnew7,Rnew12} and also establish new capacity estimates for the critical Gaussian multiplicative chaos.

math.PR↗

arXiv2014

On the heat kernel and the Dirichlet form of Liouville Brownian Motion

In \cite{GRV}, a Feller process called Liouville Brownian motion on $\R^2$ has been introduced. It can be seen as a Brownian motion evolving in a random geometry given formally by the exponential of a (massive) Gaussian Free Field $e^{γX}$ and is the right diffusion process to consider regarding 2d-Liouville quantum gravity. In this note, we discuss the construction of the associated Dirichlet form, following essentially \cite{fuku} and the techniques introduced in \cite{GRV}. Then we carry out the analysis of the Liouville resolvent. In particular, we prove that it is strong Feller, thus obtaining the existence of the Liouville heat kernel via a non-trivial theorem of Fukushima and al. One of the motivations which led to introduce the Liouville Brownian motion in \cite{GRV} was to investigate the puzzling Liouville metric through the eyes of this new stochastic process. One possible approach was to use the theory developed for example in \cite{stollmann,sturm1,sturm2}, whose aim is to capture the "geometry" of the underlying space out of the Dirichlet form of a process living on that space. More precisely, under some mild hypothesis on the regularity of the Dirichlet form, they provide an intrinsic metric which is interpreted as an extension of Riemannian geometry applicable to non differential structures. We prove that the needed mild hypotheses are satisfied but that the associated intrinsic metric unfortunately vanishes, thus showing that renormalization theory remains out of reach of the metric aspect of Dirichlet forms.

math.PR↗

arXiv2014

Critical Gaussian multiplicative chaos: Convergence of the derivative martingale

In this paper, we study Gaussian multiplicative chaos in the critical case. We show that the so-called derivative martingale, introduced in the context of branching Brownian motions and branching random walks, converges almost surely (in all dimensions) to a random measure with full support. We also show that the limiting measure has no atom. In connection with the derivative martingale, we write explicit conjectures about the glassy phase of log-correlated Gaussian potentials and the relation with the asymptotic expansion of the maximum of log-correlated Gaussian random variables.

math.PR↗

arXiv2014

Log-correlated Gaussian fields: an overview

We survey the properties of the log-correlated Gaussian field (LGF), which is a centered Gaussian random distribution (generalized function) $h$ on $\mathbb R^d$, defined up to a global additive constant. Its law is determined by the covariance formula $$\mathrm{Cov}\bigl[ (h, ϕ_1), (h, ϕ_2) \bigr] = \int_{\mathbb R^d \times \mathbb R^d} -\log|y-z| ϕ_1(y) ϕ_2(z)dydz$$ which holds for mean-zero test functions $ϕ_1, ϕ_2$. The LGF belongs to the larger family of fractional Gaussian fields obtained by applying fractional powers of the Laplacian to a white noise $W$ on $\mathbb R^d$. It takes the form $h = (-Δ)^{-d/4} W$. By comparison, the Gaussian free field (GFF) takes the form $(-Δ)^{-1/2} W$ in any dimension. The LGFs with $d \in \{2,1\}$ coincide with the 2D GFF and its restriction to a line. These objects arise in the study of conformal field theory and SLE, random surfaces, random matrices, Liouville quantum gravity, and (when $d=1$) finance. Higher dimensional LGFs appear in models of turbulence and early-universe cosmology. LGFs are closely related to cascade models and Gaussian branching random walks. We review LGF approximation schemes, restriction properties, Markov properties, conformal symmetries, and multiplicative chaos applications.

math.PR↗

arXiv2014

KPZ formula derived from Liouville heat kernel

In this paper, we establish the Knizhnik--Polyakov--Zamolodchikov (KPZ) formula of Liouville quantum gravity, using the heat kernel of Liouville Brownian motion. This derivation of the KPZ formula was first suggested by F. David and M. Bauer in order to get a geometrically more intrinsic way of measuring the dimension of sets in Liouville quantum gravity. We also provide a careful study of the (no)-doubling behaviour of the Liouville measures in the appendix, which is of independent interest.

math.PR↗

arXiv2014

Levy multiplicative chaos and star scale invariant random measures

In this article, we consider the continuous analog of the celebrated Mandelbrot star equation with infinitely divisible weights. Mandelbrot introduced this equation to characterize the law of multiplicative cascades. We show existence and uniqueness of measures satisfying the aforementioned continuous equation. We obtain an explicit characterization of the structure of these measures, which reflects the constraints imposed by the continuous setting. In particular, we show that the continuous equation enjoys some specific properties that do not appear in the discrete star equation. To that purpose, we define a Lévy multiplicative chaos that generalizes the already existing constructions.

math.PR↗

arXiv2013

Skew and implied leverage effect: smile dynamics revisited

We revisit the ``Smile Dynamics'' problem, which consists in relating the implied leverage (i.e. the correlation of the at-the-money volatility with the returns of the underlying) and the skew of the option smile. The ratio between these two quantities, called ``Skew-Stickiness Ratio'' (SSR) by Bergomi (Smile Dynamics IV, RISK, 94-100, December 2009), saturates to the value 2 for linear models in the limit of small maturities, and converges to 1 for long maturities. We show that for more general, non-linear models (such as the asymmetric GARCH model), Bergomi's result must be modified, and can be larger than 2 for small maturities. The discrepancy comes from the fact that the volatility skew is, in general, different from the skewness of the underlying. We compare our theory with empirical results, using data both from option markets and from the underlying price series, for the S&P500 and the DAX. We find, among other things, that although both the implied leverage and the skew appear to be too strong on option markets, their ratio is well explained by the theory. We observe that the SSR indeed becomes larger than 2 for small maturities.

q-fin.ST↗

arXiv2013

The glassy phase of complex branching Brownian motion

In this paper, we study complex valued branching Brownian motion in the so-called glassy phase, or also called phase II. In this context, we prove a limit theorem for the complex partition function hence confirming a conjecture formulated by Lacoin and the last two authors in a previous paper on complex Gaussian multiplicative chaos. We will show that the limiting partition function can be expressed as a product of a Gaussian random variable, mainly due to the windings of the phase, and a stable transform of the so called derivative martingale, mainly due to the clustering of the modulus. The proof relies on the fine description of the extremal process available in the branching Brownian motion context.

math.PR↗

arXiv2013

Glassy phase and freezing of log-correlated Gaussian potentials

In this paper, we consider the Gibbs measure associated to a logarithmically correlated random potential (including two dimensional free fields) at low temperature. We prove that the energy landscape freezes and enters in the so-called glassy phase. The limiting Gibbs weights are integrated atomic random measures with random intensity expressed in terms of the critical Gaussian multiplicative chaos. This could be seen as a first rigorous step in the renormalization theory of super-critical Gaussian multiplicative chaos.

math.PR↗