Program
Seminar: Ultrarelativistic Limits of Gravity and Carroll Group – Part 1
Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Time: 14:30
Room A209
Polo Ferrari 1
Via Sommarive 9 - 38123 Povo
Einstein's theory admits interesting limits with different causal structures obtained by letting the speed of light go to infinity (Galilean or "non-relativistic" limit) or to zero (Carrollian, or "ultrarelativistic" limit). In the latter case, instead of the hyperbolic partial differential equations of general relativity and the elliptic differential equations of Newton’s theory, the dynamical equations become ordinary differential equations with respect to time. The ultrarelativistic limit turns out to be relevant near spacelike (cosmological) singularities, when spatial gradients become subdominant. The resulting differential equations possess a remarkable interpretation in terms of infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody algebras. The talk will review some aspects of Carroll invariant theories.
Colloquium: Asymptotic Symmetries in Gauge Theories with Emphasis on Gravity
Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Time: 14:00
Room B107
Polo Ferrari 2
Via Sommarive 9 - 38123 Povo
Asymptotic symmetries, sometimes also known as "large gauge transformations", provide important dynamical information on theories with a gauge freedom formulated on spacetimes having a "boundary at infinity". A review of asymptotic symmetries will be given following the Hamiltonian approach. General features (such as the form of the symmetry generators and the structure of the algebra) as well as specific examples will be covered. A particular focus will be paid to gravity in the asymptotically flat context, where the relevant asymptotic symmetry algebra is the infinite-dimensional BMS algebra.
Seminar: Ultrarelativistic Limits of Gravity and Carroll Group – Part 2
Thursday, 13 February 2025
Time: 14:30
Room A209
Polo Ferrari 1
Via Sommarive 9 - 38123 Povo
All lectures will be held in English.
Visiting Chair
Marc Henneaux studied physics at the University of Brussels in Belgium where he received his doctoral degree in 1980. After holding visiting and postdoctoral positions in the United States (Princeton, Austin), he came back to Belgium as a research associate at the Belgian Science foundation (FNRS). He then became Professor at the University of Brussels, where he is now Emeritus Professor. In 2017, he was appointed Professor at the Collège de France on the Chair "Champs, Cordes et Gravité." Since 2004, he is also Director of the International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry, founded by E. Solvay. His research is devoted to the study of the theoretical models describing the fundamental physical interactions (electromagnetism, weak and strong nuclear forces, gravity), with a particular emphasis on their symmetries.
Contact Information
Department of Physics
Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo
tel. 0461 281504
e-mail: df.supportstaff@unitn.it
Academic Coordinator
Massimiliano Rinaldi
Professor – Department of Physics
tel. 0461 281577
e-mail: massimiliano.rinaldi@unitn.it