A Multi-Layer Extension of the Stochastic Heat Equation

Abstract

Motivated by recent developments on solvable directed polymer models, we define a ‘multi-layer’ extension of the stochastic heat equation involving non-intersecting Brownian motions. By developing a connection with Darboux transformations and the two-dimensional Toda equations, we conjecture a Markovian evolution in time for this multi-layer process. As a first step in this direction, we establish an analogue of the Karlin-McGregor formula for the stochastic heat equation and use it to prove a special case of this conjecture.