Riemann--Hilbert approach to multi-time processes: The Airy and the Pearcey cases

We prove that matrix Fredholm determinants related to multi-time processes can be expressed in terms of determinants of integrable kernels à la Its–Izergin–Korepin–Slavnov (IIKS) and hence related to suitable Riemann–Hilbert problems, thus extending the known results for the single-time case. We focus on the Airy and Pearcey processes. As an example of applications we re-deduce a third order PDE, found by Adler and van Moerbeke, for the two-time Airy process.