Matrix models for stationary Gromov-Witten invariants of the Riemann sphere

Abstract

Inspired by recent formul\ae\ of Dubrovin, Yang, and Zagier, we interpret the tau function enumerating stationary Gromov-Witten invariants of $\mathbb{P}^1$ as an isomonodromic tau function associated with a difference equation. As a byproduct we obtain an analogue of the Kontsevich matrix model for this tau function. A connection with the Charlier ensemble is also considered.