Polynomial averages in the Kontsevich model (Q1208023)

The matrix models considered in two dimensional gravity are closely related to the intersection theory of the moduli space of Riemann surfaces. Matrix integrals obtained by integration over the space of \(N \times N\)-hermitian matrices with respect to certain measures yield topological invariants. By Kontsevich and Witten certain identities on these matrix models (mainly for \(N\) large enough) were discussed. Excerpt from the abstract: In the article a conjecture of Witten is proven which enables one to express averages with the full (cubic potential) measure, as derivatives of the partition function with respect to traces of inverse odd powers of the external argument. The proofs are based on elementary algebraic identities involving a new set of invariant polynomials of the linear group, closely related to the general Schur functions.