Found at least 20 result(s)

14.04.2025 (Monday)

Lonti: Lonti: Symmetries in quantum systems (4/4)

Regular Seminar Po-Shen Hsin (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

Symmetry plays an important role in quantum systems: it can constrain the dynamics, give rise to selection rules, and provide computation methods in quantum computers. In recent years there are also new types of symmetries called generalized symmetries discovered in many quantum systems, including non-invertible symmetry and higher group symmetry. These lectures will be about symmetries in various quantum systems and their applications such as constraints on the low energy dynamics. Examples will be discussed in the lectures include quantum mechanics systems, gauge theories, lattice models, and the symmetry includes ordinary and higher form symmetry as well non-invertible symmetry.

07.04.2025 (Monday)

Lonti: Symmetries in quantum systems (3/4)

Regular Seminar Po-Shen Hsin (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

Symmetry plays an important role in quantum systems: it can constrain the dynamics, give rise to selection rules, and provide computation methods in quantum computers. In recent years there are also new types of symmetries called generalized symmetries discovered in many quantum systems, including non-invertible symmetry and higher group symmetry. These lectures will be about symmetries in various quantum systems and their applications such as constraints on the low energy dynamics. Examples will be discussed in the lectures include quantum mechanics systems, gauge theories, lattice models, and the symmetry includes ordinary and higher form symmetry as well non-invertible symmetry.

31.03.2025 (Monday)

Lonti: Lonti: Symmetries in quantum systems (2/4)

Regular Seminar Po-Shen Hsin (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

Symmetry plays an important role in quantum systems: it can constrain the dynamics, give rise to selection rules, and provide computation methods in quantum computers. In recent years there are also new types of symmetries called generalized symmetries discovered in many quantum systems, including non-invertible symmetry and higher group symmetry. These lectures will be about symmetries in various quantum systems and their applications such as constraints on the low energy dynamics. Examples will be discussed in the lectures include quantum mechanics systems, gauge theories, lattice models, and the symmetry includes ordinary and higher form symmetry as well non-invertible symmetry.

24.03.2025 (Monday)

Lonti: Symmetries in quantum systems (1/4)

Regular Seminar Po-Shen Hsin (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

Symmetry plays an important role in quantum systems: it can constrain the dynamics, give rise to selection rules, and provide computation methods in quantum computers. In recent years there are also new types of symmetries called generalized symmetries discovered in many quantum systems, including non-invertible symmetry and higher group symmetry. These lectures will be about symmetries in various quantum systems and their applications such as constraints on the low energy dynamics. Examples will be discussed in the lectures include quantum mechanics systems, gauge theories, lattice models, and the symmetry includes ordinary and higher form symmetry as well non-invertible symmetry.

12.03.2025 (Wednesday)

Yangian symmetry, GKZ equations and integrable Feynman graphs

Regular Seminar Fedor Levkovich-Maslyuk (City University London)

at:
14:00 KCL
room K3.11
abstract:

We extend the powerful property of Yangian invariance to a new large class of conformally invariant multi-loop Feynman integrals. This leads to new highly constraining differential equations for them, making integrability visible at the level of individual Feynman graphs. Our results apply to planar Feynman diagrams in any spacetime dimension dual to an arbitrary network of intersecting straight lines on a plane (Baxter lattice), with propagator powers determined by the geometry. The graphs we consider determine correlators in the recently proposed "loom" fishnet CFTs. The construction unifies and greatly extends the known special cases of Yangian invariance to likely the most general family of integrable scalar planar graphs. We also relate these equations in certain cases to famous GKZ (Gelfand-Kapranov-Zelevinsky) hypergeometric operators, opening the way to using new powerful solution methods.

05.02.2025 (Wednesday)

Fuzzy sphere regularization of 3D CFTs

Triangular Seminar Yin-Chen He (Stony Brook University)

at:
16:30 QMUL
room Peoples Palace 1
abstract:

Conformal Field Theory (CFT) represents a class of quantum field theories that have profound applications across various physics domains, from critical phenomena in statistical mechanics to quantum matter, quantum gravity, and string theory. In this talk, I will introduce our recently proposed fuzzy (non-commutative) sphere regularization scheme, a method that addresses and offers a solution to the longstanding need for a non-perturbative approach to 3D CFTs. I will first elucidate its fundamental concepts and then dive into illustrative examples, including the 3D Ising transition, conformal defects, and critical gauge theories. Importantly, I will showcase that this scheme is not only potent--revealing a wealth of universal data on 3D CFTs otherwise inaccessible through existing methods--but also efficient, as the necessary computations can be performed on a laptop within an hour. Our innovative scheme not only heralds a new era for the study of CFTs but also hints at a profound interplay between non-commutative geometry and both CFTs and QFTs at large.

22.01.2025 (Wednesday)

From Categories to Cold Atoms: Phases of Matter from new Symmetries

Regular Seminar Sakura Schafer-Nameki (Oxford U.)

at:
14:00 KCL
room K3.11
abstract:

I will explain how the recent developments in so-called categorical or non-invertible symmetries can be used to make sharp predictions about phases -- gapped and gapless -- in the presence of such symmetries. This so-called a categorical Landau paradigm applied to 1+1d systems predicts new phases and phase transitions. In some instances these are extremely simple to implement in spin-chains and have a potential to be implemented in the very near future in cold atom systems

12.12.2024 (Thursday)

The M-theory geometry of Generalised Toric Polygons

Regular Seminar Guillermo Arias-Tamargo (Imperial College London)

at:
14:00 QMUL
room 610
abstract:

There are various ways of constructing 5d SCFTs in String Theory; most famously, one can look at geometric engineering in M-theory or webs of 5-branes in type IIB. It is well understood how to translate from one setup to the other in the case where the Calabi-Yau geometry is toric. However, in the type IIB picture, brane manipulations such as Hanany-Witten transitions can lead us beyond the pure toric context; the combinatorial data enconding the system has been dubbed a Generalized Toric Polygon (GTP). In this talk, I will discuss recent progress understanding the geometry of GTPs. A key role is played by the mirror Calabi-Yau, where Hanany-Witten transitions take a very simple form. This allows us to make contact with a mathematical notion of "polytope mutation", and import part of the results in that literature to our physical setup; as an example, we find "mutation invariants" that can prove useful in the classification of 5d SCFTs. Time permitting, I'll also discuss some consequences for the BPS quivers of the 5d theories engineered by GTPs.

12.11.2024 (Tuesday)

Tidal Love numbers and scattering amplitudes

Regular Seminar Julio Parra-Martinez (IHES)

at:
14:30 IC
room H503
abstract:

Tidal Love numbers quantify the deformability and dissipative properties of compact gravitating objects. However, even in classical GR, they undergo renormalization group running due to the nonlinearity of gravity. In this talk I will explain some exact results about their running, which can be extracted by matching calculations of scattering amplitudes in black hole perturbation theory and point-particle effective theories. Due to the universality of EFT, the results have applications to the physics of black holes, neutron stars, and even binary systems. For the specific case of black holes, our matching calculation also provides the precise values of both static and dynamical Love numbers in various dimensions.

29.10.2024 (Tuesday)

The Landau Paradigm for Categorical Symmetries

Regular Seminar Sakura Schafer-Nameki (Oxford)

at:
14:30 IC
room H503
abstract:

The Landau paradigm of phase transitions states that any continuous (second order) phase transition is a symmetry breaking transition. Originally this was formulated for symmetries that form groups, e.g. the critical Ising model is the transition between the $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetric and spontaneously broken phases. In recent years a new class of symmetries, called categorical or non-invertible, have emerged in quantum systems -- with impact ranging from high energy and condensed matter physics to mathematics, and quantum computing. I will explain how these symmetries generalize the Landau paradigm and how new phases and phase transitions are predicted, which have potential future experimental implementations in cold atom systems.

28.10.2024 (Monday)

Lonti: Infrared aspects of gravity in asymptotically flat spacetimes

Regular Seminar Ana-Maria Raclariu (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

These lectures will review recent developments surrounding the infrared sector of gravity in (3+1)-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetimes (AFS). In the first part of the course we will introduce soft theorems which govern the low-energy scattering of massless particles such as photons and gravitons. We will explain how these are related to classical observables known as memory effects and discuss their application to computing infrared-finite collider observables and gravitational waveforms. In the second part, we will introduce the notion of asymptotic or large-gauge symmetries and use it to derive the infinite-dimensional asymptotic symmetry algebra of (3+1)-dimensional AFS, also known as the BMS algebra. We will show that the conservation laws associated with these symmetries are equivalent to the Weinberg soft graviton theorem. Time-permitting, we will discuss some implications of these ideas for non-AdS holography.

22.10.2024 (Tuesday)

Singularity theorems for worldvolume energy inequalities

Regular Seminar Eleni-Alexandra Kontou (KCL)

at:
14:00 QMUL
room MB-503
abstract:

The original singularity theorems of Penrose and Hawking have, in their hypotheses, pointwise energy conditions violated by some classical and all quantum fields. If we want to extend their validity to semiclassical gravity, these conditions have to be replaced by weaker ones. In this talk I will first discuss recent results for singularity theorems with weakened energy conditions, some of which are obeyed by quantum fields. Then I will argue for the need of singularity theorems with worldvolume averaged energy conditions both in the timelike and the null case. For each case I will present progress and open questions.

21.10.2024 (Monday)

Lonti: Infrared aspects of gravity in asymptotically flat spacetimes

Regular Seminar Ana-Maria Raclariu (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

These lectures will review recent developments surrounding the infrared sector of gravity in (3+1)-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetimes (AFS). In the first part of the course we will introduce soft theorems which govern the low-energy scattering of massless particles such as photons and gravitons. We will explain how these are related to classical observables known as memory effects and discuss their application to computing infrared-finite collider observables and gravitational waveforms. In the second part, we will introduce the notion of asymptotic or large-gauge symmetries and use it to derive the infinite-dimensional asymptotic symmetry algebra of (3+1)-dimensional AFS, also known as the BMS algebra. We will show that the conservation laws associated with these symmetries are equivalent to the Weinberg soft graviton theorem. Time-permitting, we will discuss some implications of these ideas for non-AdS holography.

14.10.2024 (Monday)

Lonti: Infrared aspects of gravity in asymptotically flat spacetimes

Regular Seminar Ana-Maria Raclariu (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

These lectures will review recent developments surrounding the infrared sector of gravity in (3+1)-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetimes (AFS). In the first part of the course we will introduce soft theorems which govern the low-energy scattering of massless particles such as photons and gravitons. We will explain how these are related to classical observables known as memory effects and discuss their application to computing infrared-finite collider observables and gravitational waveforms. In the second part, we will introduce the notion of asymptotic or large-gauge symmetries and use it to derive the infinite-dimensional asymptotic symmetry algebra of (3+1)-dimensional AFS, also known as the BMS algebra. We will show that the conservation laws associated with these symmetries are equivalent to the Weinberg soft graviton theorem. Time-permitting, we will discuss some implications of these ideas for non-AdS holography.

07.10.2024 (Monday)

Lonti: Infrared aspects of gravity in asymptotically flat spacetimes

Regular Seminar Ana-Maria Raclariu (King's College London)

at:
10:30 Other
room LIMS
abstract:

These lectures will review recent developments surrounding the infrared sector of gravity in (3+1)-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetimes (AFS). In the first part of the course we will introduce soft theorems which govern the low-energy scattering of massless particles such as photons and gravitons. We will explain how these are related to classical observables known as memory effects and discuss their application to computing infrared-finite collider observables and gravitational waveforms. In the second part, we will introduce the notion of asymptotic or large-gauge symmetries and use it to derive the infinite-dimensional asymptotic symmetry algebra of (3+1)-dimensional AFS, also known as the BMS algebra. We will show that the conservation laws associated with these symmetries are equivalent to the Weinberg soft graviton theorem. Time-permitting, we will discuss some implications of these ideas for non-AdS holography.

02.10.2024 (Wednesday)

Non-invertible coset symmetry and fractionalization

Regular Seminar Po-Shen Hsin (KCL)

at:
15:30 QMUL
room GO Jones 610
abstract:

Coset symmetry arises in many systems such as Higgs phases of gauge theories and quantum spin liquids. When the coset is quotient by a non-normal subgroup, coset symmetry becomes a non-invertible symmetry. I will discuss properties of coset non-invertible symmetry and its fractionalization using examples in field theories and lattice models, and comment on the dynamical implication. The talk is based on arXiv: 2405.20401 and work in progress with Ryohei Kobayashi and Carolyn Zhang

26.04.2024 (Friday)

Non-invertible symmetries for qubits

Exceptional Seminar Shu-Heng Shao (Stony Brook)

at:
11:30 QMUL
room G. O. Jones 610
abstract:

I'll discuss the exact non-invertible Kramers-Wannier symmetry of 1+1d lattice models on a tensor product Hilbert space of qubits. This symmetry mixes with lattice translations, and obeys a different algebra compared to the continuum one. The non-invertible symmetry leads to a constraint similar to that of Lieb-Schultz-Mattis, implying that the system cannot have a unique gapped ground state. It is either in a gapless phase or in a gapped phase with three (or a multiple of three) ground states, associated with the spontaneous breaking of the non-invertible symmetry.

26.03.2024 (Tuesday)

Entanglement, soft modes and celestial holography

Exceptional Seminar Ana-Maria Raclariu (Amsterdam University)

at:
14:00 QMUL
room SMS MB-503
abstract:

In this talk I will start by revisiting the calculation of entanglement entropy in free Maxwell theory in 3+1 dimensional Minkowski spacetime. I will characterize the soft sector associated with a subregion and demonstrate that conformally soft mode configurations at the entangling surface, or equivalently correlated fluctuations in the large gauge charges of the subregion and its complement, give a non-trivial contribution to the entanglement entropy across a cut of future null infinity. I will conclude with some comments on the holographic description of bulk subregions in asymptotically flat spacetimes.

19.12.2023 (Tuesday)

Topological 5d N=2 Gauge Theory: Novel Floer Homologies, their Dualities, and an A-infinity Category of Three-Manifolds

Exceptional Seminar Meng-Chwan Tan (Singapore Natl. U.)

at:
11:00 KCL
room K0.16
abstract:

This talk is about our latest work in [arXiv:2311.18302]. We shall show how one can define novel gauge-theoretic Floer homologies of four, three and two-manifolds that are associated with Vafa-Witten, Hitchin and complexified BF configurations, respectively, from the physics of a certain topologically-twisted 5d N=2 gauge theory. Via topological invariance and a 5d “S-duality”, we shall derive novel Atiyah-Floer correspondences of these gauge-theoretic Floer homologies which relate them to symplectic intersection Floer homologies of Higgs bundles, and a web of relations involving their loop/toroidal group generalizations and their Langlands dual. Lastly, through a soliton string theory interpretation of the 5d theory, we shall derive a Fukaya-Seidel type A-infinity category of Hitchin configurations on three-manifolds and its Atiyah-Floer correspondence. We therefore furnish purely physical realizations and generalizations of the mathematical conjectures and constructions of Haydys [1], Wang [2] and Abouzaid-Manolescu [3], and more.

13.12.2023 (Wednesday)

Bootstrapping Smooth Line Operators in Chern-Simons-Matter CFTs

Regular Seminar De-liang Zhong (Imperial College, London)

at:
14:00 KCL
room S0.12
abstract:

We study Chern-Simons theories at large N with either bosonic or fermionic matter in the fundamental representation. We will show that for smooth conformal line operators, their spectrum and shape dependence can be effectively bootstrapped using minimal inputs.