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SUMMARY:The Quest for Quantum gravity : Testing times for theories?
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20000309T103000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20000309T113000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261011T220729Z
UID:indico-event-1162@indico.ific.uv.es
DESCRIPTION:A satisfactory model for quantum gravity may necessitate a com
 pletely new perception for space time at sub-Planckian (length) scales\, w
 hich may even have a cellular (foamy) structure. After a brief introductio
 n to some theoretical models (including string and brane theories) I discu
 ss physical consequences of such cellular (foamy) structures for the propa
 gation of low-energy matter. In particular I argue that there may be non-t
 rivial `optical' properties of the quantum-gravity `medium'resulting in a 
 non-trivial index of refraction and other stochastic effects as far as pro
 pagation of\, say\, massless particles is concerned. The phenomenon is ana
 logous to light dispersion by atoms in the air\, but the crucial differenc
 e is that the phenomenon becomes stronger the higher the energy of the pro
 be is\, which may be qualitatively understood by the fact that high energy
  probes cause a bigger `distortion' of the space time fluid. Given that su
 ch effects build up the further the particle probe travels thorugh the foa
 m\, it becomes apparent that the most sensitive probes of such potential q
 uantum-gravity effects should be astrophysical. I detail one such example\
 , light from Gamma-Ray-Bursters (GRB) the majority of which are known to d
 ate to be at cosmological distances from earth. I discuss how quantum-grav
 ity phenomenology can be done using such probes. Some discussion on other 
 tests of quantum gravity foam (both terrestrial and astrophysical (such as
  high-energy neutrinos from cosmic rays) can be given if time allows.\n\nh
 ttps://indico.ific.uv.es/event/1162/
LOCATION:Dpto. de Física Teórica (UVEG) Sala Seminarios
URL:https://indico.ific.uv.es/event/1162/
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