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Finite Size Spectrum of SU(N) Principal Chiral Field from Discrete Hirota Dynamics

Using recently proposed method of discrete Hirota dynamics for integrable (1+1)D quantum field theories on a finite space circle of length L, we derive and test numerically a finite system of nonlinear integral equations for the exact spectrum of energies of SU(N)xSU(N) principal chiral field model as functions of m L, where m is the mass scale. We propose a determinant solution of the underlying Y-system, or Hirota equation, in terms of determinants (Wronskians) of NxN matrices parameterized by N-1 functions of the spectral parameter, with the known analytical properties at finite L. Although the method works in principle for any state, the explicit equations are written for states in the U(1) sector only. For N>2, we encounter and clarify a few subtleties in these equations related to the presence of bound states, absent in the previously considered N=2 case. In particular, we solve these equations numerically for a few low-lying states for N=3 in a wide range of m L.