Products of random Hermitian matrices and brickwork Hurwitz numbers. Products of normal matrices

Abstract

We consider products of $n$ random Hermitian matrices which generalize the one-matrix model and show its relation to Hurwitz numbers which count ramified coverings of certain type. Namely, these Hurwitz numbers count $2k$-fold ramified coverings of the Riemann sphere with arbitrary ramification type over $0$ and $\infty$ and ramifications related to the partition $(2^k)$ (``brickworks'' - involution without fixed points) elsewhere. Products of normal random matrices are also considered.