Application of the O(N)-Hyperspherical Harmonics to the Study of the Continuum Limits of One-Dimensional σ-Models and to the Generation of High-Temperature Expansions in Higher Dimensions

In this talk we present the exact solution of the most general one-dimensional $O(N)$-invariant spin model taking values in the sphere $S^{N-1}$, with nearest-neighbour interactions, and we discuss the possible continuum limits. All these results are obtained using a high-temperature expansion in terms of hyperspherical harmonics. Applications in higher dimensions of the same technique are then discussed.