$SO/Sp$ Chern-Simons Gauge Theories At Large $N$, $SO/Sp$ Penner Models And The Gauge Group Volumes

Abstract

We construct a deformed $SO/Sp$ Penner generating function responsible for the close connection between $SO/Sp$ Chern-Simons gauge theories at large $N$ and the $SO/Sp$ Penner models. This construction is then shown to follow from a sector of a Chern-Simons gauge theory with coupling constant $\lambda$. The free energy and its continuum limit of the perturbative Chern-Simons gauge theory are obtained from the Penner model. Finally, asymptotic expansions for the logarithm of the gauge group volumes are given for every genus $g\geq 0$ and shown to be equivalent to the continuum limits of the $SO/Sp$ Chern-Simons gauge theories and the $SO/Sp$ Penner models