Triangle Seminars
Wednesday, 13 Mar 2013
Tom Kibble and the Early Universe as the Ultimate Experiment
Neil Turok
(Perimeter)
Abstract:
Tom Kibble was a pioneer of the symmetry breaking paradigm in fundamental physics. His view of physics is exceptionally broad, and Tom also led efforts to see how to test ideas of grand unification through exploring their consequences for the very early universe. Over time, this led to new paradigms for cosmology, like cosmic inflation, with a plethora of observational tests. In this talk, I shall review some of Tom's cosmological innovations and also look forward to new and even more fundamental paradigms capable of tackling the big bang singularity.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
Tom Kibble was a pioneer of the symmetry breaking paradigm in fundamental physics. His view of physics is exceptionally broad, and Tom also led efforts to see how to test ideas of grand unification through exploring their consequences for the very early universe. Over time, this led to new paradigms for cosmology, like cosmic inflation, with a plethora of observational tests. In this talk, I shall review some of Tom's cosmological innovations and also look forward to new and even more fundamental paradigms capable of tackling the big bang singularity.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
Posted by: IC
The a-theorem and the asymptotics of 4D Quantum Field Theory
📍 London
Riccardo Rattazzi
(EPFL Lausanne)
Abstract:
By generalizing the recent proof of the a-theorem, I derive
constraints on the possible UV and IR asymptotics of 4D Lorentz invariant unitary quantum field theory.
Within perturbation theory the only possible RG flow asymptotic is given by conformal field theory.
I also give a non-perturbative argument that excludes theories with scale
but not conformal invariance.
This argument holds for theories in which the stress-energy tensor
is sufficiently nontrivial in a definite technical sense.
By generalizing the recent proof of the a-theorem, I derive
constraints on the possible UV and IR asymptotics of 4D Lorentz invariant unitary quantum field theory.
Within perturbation theory the only possible RG flow asymptotic is given by conformal field theory.
I also give a non-perturbative argument that excludes theories with scale
but not conformal invariance.
This argument holds for theories in which the stress-energy tensor
is sufficiently nontrivial in a definite technical sense.
Posted by: KCL
Dynamics of Symmetry Breaking Phase Transitions
Wojciech Zurek
(LANL)
Abstract:
In a seminal 1976 paper Tom Kibble pointed out that, in cosmological phase transitions, causality precludes coordination between local choices of broken symmetry, and, as a result, formation of topological defects is all but inevitable. I shall discuss consequences of this Kibble mechanism for condensed matter physics, where its experimentally testable extrapolation is being studied.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
In a seminal 1976 paper Tom Kibble pointed out that, in cosmological phase transitions, causality precludes coordination between local choices of broken symmetry, and, as a result, formation of topological defects is all but inevitable. I shall discuss consequences of this Kibble mechanism for condensed matter physics, where its experimentally testable extrapolation is being studied.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
Posted by: IC
The Quest for the Higgs Boson at the LHC
Jim Virdee
(Imperial)
Abstract:
In July 2012 ATLAS and CMS experiments reported the discovery of a Higgs-like boson, most likely confirming the mechanism for generation of mass of fundamental particles put forward by Higgs, Kibble and others in the 1960’s. An outline of the challenges faced during the construction of both the LHC and the experiments will be presented as well as an overview of the current operation and performance. Selected physics results and future aims, in particular those relating to the discovery of the Higgs-like boson, will be discussed.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
In July 2012 ATLAS and CMS experiments reported the discovery of a Higgs-like boson, most likely confirming the mechanism for generation of mass of fundamental particles put forward by Higgs, Kibble and others in the 1960’s. An outline of the challenges faced during the construction of both the LHC and the experiments will be presented as well as an overview of the current operation and performance. Selected physics results and future aims, in particular those relating to the discovery of the Higgs-like boson, will be discussed.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
Posted by: IC
Tom Kibble: breaking symmetries, breaking ground and the new boson
Steven Weinberg
(Univ. of Texas at Austin)
Abstract:
The talk will describe my first interaction with Tom Kibble, when I visited Imperial College in 1961-2; Tom's ground-breaking work on broken symmetry and the Higgs boson; and how a 1967 paper by Tom laid the foundation for understanding the photon.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
The talk will describe my first interaction with Tom Kibble, when I visited Imperial College in 1961-2; Tom's ground-breaking work on broken symmetry and the Higgs boson; and how a 1967 paper by Tom laid the foundation for understanding the photon.
[Symmetry and Fundamental Physics - Tom Kibble at 80]
Posted by: IC
Thursday, 14 Mar 2013
TBA
Donal O'Connell
Friday, 15 Mar 2013
The story of the projective plane
📍 London
Michael Atiyah
(University of Edinburgh)
Abstract:
This talk will have three parts
1. Past story - classical projective planes
2. Unfinished story - topology of the projective plane
3. Fairy story - physics and the projective plane
This talk will have three parts
1. Past story - classical projective planes
2. Unfinished story - topology of the projective plane
3. Fairy story - physics and the projective plane
Posted by: KCL