c > 1 non-critical strings and large-N matrix field theory

Motivated by a possible relativistic string description of hadrons we use a discretised light-cone quantisation and Lanczos algorithm to investigate the phase structure of η3 matrix field theory in the large N limit. In 1 + 1 dimensions we confirm the existence of Polyakovʹs non-critical string theory at the boundary between parton-like and string-like phases, finding critical exponents for longitudinal oscillations equal to or consistent with those given by a mean field argument. The excitation spectrum is finite, possibly discrete. We calculate light-cone structure functions and find evidence that the probability Q(x) of a parton in the string carrying longitudinal momentum fraction between x and x + dx has support on all 0 < x < 1, despite the average number of partons being infinite.