The Virasoro Minimal String

Understand

We introduce a critical string theory in two dimensions and demonstrate that this theory, viewed as two-dimensional quantum gravity on the worldsheet, is equivalent to a double-scaled matrix integral.

• The worldsheet theory consists of Liouville CFT with central charge $c\geq 25$ coupled to timelike Liouville CFT with central charge $26-c$.
• The double-scaled matrix integral has as its leading density of states the universal Cardy density of primaries in a two-dimensional CFT, thus motivating the name Virasoro minimal string.
• The duality holds for any value of the continuous parameter $c$ and reduces to the JT gravity/matrix integral duality in the large central charge limit.