Another algebraic variational principle for the spectral curve of matrix models

Abstract

We propose an alternative variational principle whose critical point is the algebraic plane curve associated to a matrix model (the spectral curve, i.e. the large $N$ limit of the resolvent). More generally, we consider a variational principle that is equivalent to the problem of finding a plane curve with given asymptotics and given cycle integrals. This variational principle is not given by extremization of the energy, but by the extremization of an "entropy".