Double Scaling Limits, Airy Functions and Multicritical Behaviour in O(N) Vektor Sigma Models

Abstract

O(N) vector sigma models possessing catastrophes in their action are studied. Coupling the limit N --> infinity with an appropriate scaling behaviour of the coupling constants, the partition function develops a singular factor. This is a generalized Airy function in the case of spacetime dimension zero and the partition function of a scalar field theory for positive spacetime dimension.