Recent Advances in the Theory of Quantum Integrable Systems

Abstract

The theory of integrable systems is grounded in the very beginning of theoretical physics: Kepler's system is an integrable system. This field of dynamical systems, where one looks for exact solutions of the equations of motion, has attracted most of the great figures in mathematical physics: Euler, Lagrange, Jacobi, etc. Liouville was the first to formulate the precise mathematical conditions ensuring solvability `by quadrature' of the dynamical equations, and his theorem still lies at the heart of the recent developments. The modern era started about thirty years ago with the systematic formulation of soliton solutions to nonlinear wave equations. Since then, impressive developments arose both for the classical and the quantum theory. Subtle mathematical techniques were devised for the resolution of these theories, relying on algebra (group theory), analysis and algebraic geometry (Riemann theory of surfaces). We therefore clearly see that the theory of integrable systems lies ab initio at a crossing of physics and mathematics, and that the developments of these last thirty years have strengthened this dual character, which makes it into an archetypal domain of mathematical physics. As regards the classical theory, beyond the direct connections to the various domains of classical soliton physics (hydrodynamics, condensed matter physics, laser optics, particle physics, plasma, biology or information coding), one has witnessed in these recent years more unexpected (and for some of them not yet well understood) connections to a priori farther fields of theoretical physics: string theory (through matrix models), topological field theories (two dimensional Yang--Mills, three dimensional Chern--Simons--Witten), or supersymmetric field theories (for instance the correspondence discovered by Seiberg and Witten between classical integrable models and quantum potentials). Quantum integrable theories provide examples of exactly (non perturbatively) solvable physical models. They thus allow one to obtain descriptions of non trivial phenomena such as second order phase transition in condensed systems (spin lattices) and exact solution of relativistic quantum field theories (Sine--Gordon...). On the other hand, they supply an excellent example of fruitful interface between physics and mathematics: the theory of quantum groups (and the germane theory of special functions) is a perfect illustration of this role and perspectives of such new developments appear very promising. The purpose of the first RAQIS meeting was to bring together researchers from the various fields of mathematics and physics connected to the theory of quantum integrable systems. This conference was held in the framework of the European TMR network EUCLID `Integrable models and applications: from strings to condensed matter', contract number HPRN-CT-2002-00325. The RAQIS03 meeting took place at the Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-vieux de Physique Theorique (LAPTH, France) from 25 March to 28 March, 2003. The organising committee consisted of Daniel Arnaudon, Jean Avan, Luc Frappat, Eric Ragoucy and Paul Sorba. Financial support was provided by Universite de Savoie and CNRS-DRI (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Direction des Relations Internationales). In particular various scientific contacts with several Japanese participants were initiated thanks to the CNRS PICS contract number 911. This special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General is dedicated to the subject of the RAQIS03 meeting in Annecy-le-vieux. Most of the contributors to this issue took part in the meeting, but this volume does not aim to be a proceedings in the usual sense of the word: contributions do not necessarily coincide with the reports presented at the meeting, nor are the contributors restricted exclusively to those people that were present. The intention of the special issue is to benefit from the occasion offered by the RAQIS03 meeting to highlight the important new areas in quantum integrability, by collecting together in one single volume a selection of articles reflecting the scope of the meeting. All contributions to this special issue are original research papers, but by collecting together we feel that we offer a better context for the work and an insight into the new directions where this research is leading. specialists and also to newcomers in this domain. Finally, we would like to warmly thank all the participants and speakers as well as all the authors and contributors to this issue.