Large N limit of non-commutative gauge theories

Using the correspondence between gauge theories and string theory in curvedbackgrounds, we investigate aspects of the large $N$ limit of non-commutativegauge theories by considering gravity solutions with $B$ fields. We argue thatthe total number of physical degrees of freedom at any given scale coincideswith the commutative case. We then compute a two-point correlation functioninvolving momentum components in the directions of the $B$-field. In the UVregime, we find that the two-point function decays exponentially with themomentum. A calculation of Wilson lines suggests that strings cannot belocalized near the boundary. We also find string configurations that arelocalized in a finite region of the radial direction. These are worldsheetinstantons.Comment: 21 pages, harvmac. Some errors in correlators corrected, minor corrections to the Lorentzian solution