Perturbative Unorientable JT Gravity and Matrix Models

Abstract

We consider an orthogonal polynomial formulation of the double scaling limit of multicritical matrix models in the $\beta=1$ Dyson-Wigner class. They capture the physics of 2D quantum gravity coupled to minimal matter on unorientable surfaces, otherwise called unoriented minimal strings. We derive a formula for the density of states valid to all orders in perturbation theory. We show how to define an interpolation between the multicritical models and that a certain interpolation among an infinite number of them provides an alternative definition of unoriented JT gravity. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of our formulation.