BPS Non-Renormalization in the BMN Matrix Model

Abstract

We show in the $(0+1)$-dimensional Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase matrix model, dual to M-theory on a pp-wave background, that the coupling can be changed between any two finite, non-zero values using a special class of deformations, known as conjugation deformations. Importantly, we prove that they preserve normalizability of the states. This implies that BPS states in the model cannot lift as the couplings are varied, and hence their (unsigned) number cannot change, except at the free point and Banks-Fischler-Shenker-Susskind point.