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Noncommutative Geometry and Particle Physics |
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Scope and goal The main goal of this workshop was to
bring together scientists working in noncommutative geometry and in particle
physics, to see how experimental findings (e.g. in particle accelerators, but
not exclusively) provide inspiration for noncommutative geometry, and vice
versa, how noncommutative geometry can provide tools for phenomenological
model-building. Development The workshop consisted of morning
lectures (crash courses) on topics in noncommutative geometry for particle
physicists (by Alain Connes, Walter van Suijlekom and Ali Chamseddine) and vice
versa on particle physics for noncommutative geometers (by Elisabetta
Pallante). Also, on Monday experimental updates were given on dark matter
searches and on particle searches at the LHC, and a Higgs status report
(Patrick Decowski, Paul de Jong and Stan Bentvelsen); which already on the
first day led to lively discussions. Here it became clear that noncommutative
geometry and experiments in particle physics both take a spectral point of view in analyzing the fine-structure of spacetime
and matter: in the first through the spectrum of a linear operator, in the
second through the energy spectrum. Besides more advanced seminars there was
much discussion time during the workshop, in particular through the "study
groups". In the latter, two topics were selected (out of four) by the
participants: Higgs vacuum stability and
Lorentzian NCG: is space-time
non-commutative? After the breakout in two groups, a plenary discussion
brought thoughts and new insights together. Also, the discussions were
sustained by a website noncommutativegeometry.nl,
serving as a repository with background material as well. Beyond the workshop One of the successes of the workshop was
that the mingling between noncommutative geometers and particle physicists
actually took place, which is not an automatic result. In this respect, the
active attitude of the latter in critically evaluating the noncommutative approach
was very valuable. On Friday, it eventually led to new research questions
during the final discussion which, though still open, could be formulated with
clarity. This naturally suggests directions for future research in
noncommutative model-building and in making predictions for physics beyond the
Standard Model. Acknowledgement The organizational support of the
Lorentz Center was excellent, leaving essentially only research problems for
the organizers. Also the open nature of the facility at Snellius was greatly
appreciated by all participants. Thijs van den Broek. Radboud University Nijmegen. Alain Connes. Collège de France.
Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques José Gracia-Bondía. Universidad de Zaragoza. Piet Mulders. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Walter D. van Suijlekom. Radboud
University Nijmegen. [Back] |
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