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Host: Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences
Homepage: http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programs/sfuw03.html
Email: h.hughes@newton.cam.ac.uk
Organizers: T Banks, VA Rubakov, PJ Steinhardt, NG Turok
Description:
Throughout this century, physicists have recognized the profound relationship between fundamental physics and cosmology. Understanding events in the first instants
after the big bang requires knowledge of the nature's elementary constituents and their interactions. In recent years, as particle/string theory has pushed the frontier to
energy scales beyond the reach of accelerators, cosmology has emerged as one of the most effective ways of probing theoretical proposals. In the last few years,
however, this connection has been less in evidence. Cosmologists have been focusing on the impending breakthroughs in observations, including high resolution
measurements of the cosmic microwave background anistropy, three dimensional surveys of the galaxy distribution, and observations of the mass distribution via
gravitational lensing. String theorists have been focusing on new developments in string theory, M-theory, and its application to black holes. During this period new
discoveries and puzzles have emerged in both subfields which hint at possible connections.
This programme is a combination of School (16-20 August) and Workshop (22-27 August) designed to explore new research areas at the cosmology/fundamental physics interface. The first week will be a School in which leaders in cosmology and fundamental physics will give pedagogical reviews focussing on the key unsolved problems that may benefit from cross-interaction. Talks by particle/string theorists, will include fundamentals of string theory, M-theory, Horava-Witten cosmology, large and small dimensions, moduli and other light fields, and the cosmological constant. Talks by cosmologists will highlight outstanding problems regarding inflationary cosmology, dark matter, missing energy, baryogenesis, ultra-high energy cosmic rays, and cosmic defects, along with a prospectus on forthcoming developments in observation.
The second week will be a Workshop of more specialized talks with extensive time for small-group interaction and informal discussion with the aim of initiating new research and collaborations. Applicants should contact the organizers if they wish to make a presentation at the Workshop.
Speakers: Tom Banks, Keith Dienes, Savas Dimopoulos, Michael Duff, Alan Guth*, T Kibble, Juan Maldacena, Burt Ovrut, Lisa Randall*, Valery Rubakov, David Spergel*, Paul Steinhardt, Leonard Susskind, Michael Turner*, Neil Turok, Gabriele Veneziano, Alex Vilenkin (*tentative)
Date received: January 20, 1999
© 2008 Atlas Conferences Inc.