Time and Matter 2007

Session

Times Arrow and the Early Universe

VI

27 Aug 2007, 09:45

Bled, Slovenia

17. Challenging the Cosmological Constant

Prof. Nemanja Kaloper (University of California, Davis)

27/08/2007, 09:45

We outline a dynamical dark energy scenario whose signatures may be simultaneously tested by astronomical observations and laboratory experiments. The dark energy is a field with slightly sub-gravitational couplings to matter, a logarithmic self-interaction potential with a scale tuned to $\sim 10^{-3} {\rm eV}$, as is usual in quintessence models, and an effective mass $m_\phi$...

26. A Discrete Space and Time before the Big Bang

Prof. Martin Bojowald (Penn. State Univ., USA)

30/08/2007, 11:45

A discrete structure of space and time is often expected to result from a quantum theory of gravity. Loop quantum gravity realizes this clearly at least for space while time, in such a canonical quantization, is handled more indirectly. Cosmological scenarios show how the discreteness of time, unnoticeable at current scales, becomes an important feature in the early universe. It plays a...

28. New Matter at the LHC

Dr Bobby Acharya (Abdus Salam ICTP)

30/08/2007, 14:30

The LHC will begin data taking in the Summer of 2008. We review the physics potential of the ATLAS and CMS experiments with an emphasis on the new types of particles which might be produced in the Proton-Proton collisions at 14 TeV.

25. Expectations and challenges from future CMB science

Prof. Carlo Baccigalupi (SISSA)

30/08/2007, 15:30

We review the physics of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies and how the early universe and cosmological structure formation imprint their records into it. We describe the status of the CMB experiments, pointing out the CMB observables which are still beyond reach of the operating detectors. Finally, we focus on the the expectations from Planck and future probes.

27. Physics in 6-Dimensions

Dr Seif Randjbar-Daemi (Abdus Salam ICTP)

31/08/2007, 09:00

We review the physics in space times of higher than 4-dimensions with particular emphasis on two extra dimensions. Some recent results about the spectrum of 3-brane with positive and negative tensions in gauged supergravities in 6 dimensions will be discussed. In these theories it is possible to be obtain large mass gaps even in the large volume limit.

15. Holography and Chronology Protection

Dr Martin O'Loughlin (University of Nova Gorica)

31/08/2007, 10:00

We study in detail the solution space for a class of sypersymmetric solutions to supergravity. The solutions fall into three classes, non-singular, null-singular and time machines with a time-like naked singularity. We study the general features of these metrics and prove that there are actually just two generic classes of space-times - those with null singularities are in the same class as...