Chaotic Instability in the BFSS matrix model

UBC Theoretical High Energy Physics Seminar 

Abstract:

Recently, chaotic scattering has been studied in the context of String Theory. Chaotic scattering occurs when the particle motion in a
scattering region cannot be exactly solved. This is a more general situation than the familiar solvable scattering problems. In this talk,
as a simple example, we first introduce chaotic scattering in a four-hill potential model and then present self-similar structures
(fractals) appearing in the initial value space and the Cantor set in the time delay function. A method for calculating the fractal dimension is also explained. Then we discuss chaotic scattering in the Banks-Fischler-Shenker-Susskind (BFSS) matrix model, which is a non-perturbative formulation of a superstring theory. This model can also be interpreted as a matrix regularization of a supermembrane theory, in which the basic degrees of freedom are membranes. The potential of this model has flat directions, which are related to the instability of the supermembrane theory. We investigate classical motions of a spherical membrane and show that this instability can be regarded as chaotic scattering.