The Quantum Structure of Space and Time: Proceedings of the 23rd Solvay Conference on Physics, Brussels, Belgium, 1 - 3 December 2005

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Edition: 2nd
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 2007-01-04
Publisher(s): World Scientific Pub Co Inc
List Price: $139.65

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Summary

Ever since 1911, the Solvay Conferences have shaped modern physics. The 23rd edition, chaired by 2004 Nobel Laureate David Gross, did not break with that tradition. It gathered most of the leading figures working on the central problem of reconciling Einstein's theory of gravity with quantum mechanics. These proceedings give a broad overview with unique insight into the most fundamental issues raised by this challenge for 21st century physics, by distinguished renowned scientists. The contributions cover: the status of quantum mechanics, spacetime singularities and breakdown of classical space and time, mathematical structures underlying the most promising attempts under current development, spacetime as an emergent concept, as well as cosmology and the cosmological constant puzzle. A historical overview of the Solvay conferences by historian of sciences Peter Galison opens the volume. In the Solvay tradition, the volume also includes the discussions among the participants -- many of which were quite lively and illustrate dramatically divergent points of view -- carefully edited and reproduced in full.

Table of Contents

The International Solvay Institutesp. v
23rd Solvay Conference on Physicsp. ix
Opening Sessionp. xiii
Historyp. 1
Rapporteur talk: Solvay Redivivusp. 1
Three Miraclesp. 1
SOLVAY -1: Einstein-Lorentz, Einstein-Poincarep. 6
Ignoramus, Ignorabimus at Solvays-5 and Solvay-6p. 10
Solvay Redivivusp. 15
Discussionp. 19
Quantum Mechanicsp. 21
Rapporteur talk: Generalizing Quantum Mechanicsp. 21
Abstractp. 21
Introductionp. 22
Quantum Mechanics Todayp. 24
Spacetime and Quantum Theoryp. 26
The Quantum Mechanics of Closed Systemsp. 27
Quantum Theory in 3+1 Formp. 30
Generalized Quantum Theoryp. 32
A Quantum Theory of Spacetime Geometryp. 33
Beyond Spacetimep. 35
Emergence/Excess Baggagep. 35
Emergence of Signaturep. 38
Beyond Quantum Theoryp. 39
Conclusionp. 40
Discussionp. 44
Singularitiesp. 51
Rapporteur talk: Singularitiesp. 51
Introductionp. 51
Singularity Theoremsp. 51
Cosmic Censorshipp. 53
Classical Boundary Conditions and Stabilityp. 54
Boundary Conditions in Cosmologyp. 55
Higher dimensional resolutionsp. 59
Singularities at the end of Hawking Evaporationp. 61
Maldacena's Conjecturep. 61
Discussionp. 64
Prepared Commentsp. 65
Gary Horowitz: Singularities in String Theoryp. 65
Discussionp. 69
Prepared Commentsp. 70
Eva Silverstein: Singularities: Closed String Tachyons and Singularitiesp. 70
Discussionp. 77
Prepared Commentsp. 77
Thibault Damour: Cosmological Singularities and E[subscript 10]p. 77
Discussionp. 82
Prepared Commentsp. 83
Abhay Ashtekar: Singularities: quantum nature of the big bang in loop quantum gravityp. 83
Discussionp. 87
Mathematical Structuresp. 91
Rapporteur talk: Mathematical Structuresp. 91
Abstractp. 91
Quantum Theory and Mathematicsp. 91
The quantum geometry of string theoryp. 97
Non-perturbative string theory and branesp. 107
D-branesp. 112
The Role of Mathematicsp. 116
Discussionp. 119
Prepared Commentsp. 123
Renata Kallosh: Stabilization of moduli in string theoryp. 123
Dieter Lust: A short remark on flux and D-brane vacua and their statisticsp. 127
Michael Douglas: Mathematics and String Theory: Understanding the landscapep. 132
Discussionp. 140
Prepared Commentsp. 143
Nikita Nekrasov: On string theory applications in condensed matter physicsp. 143
Shing-Tung Yau: Mathematical Structures: Geometry of Six-Dimensional Stringp. 147
Discussionp. 151
Prepared Commentsp. 153
Hermann Nicolai: E[subscript 10] and K(E[subscript 10]): prospects and challengesp. 153
Michael Atiyah: Beyond string theory?p. 157
Discussionp. 159
Emergent Spacetimep. 163
Rapporteur talk: Emergent Spacetimep. 163
Introductionp. 163
Ambiguous spacep. 164
Non-standard theories without gravityp. 168
Derived general covariancep. 169
Examples of emergent spacep. 170
Emergent timep. 175
Conclusions and speculationsp. 176
Discussionp. 179
Prepared Commentsp. 182
Tom Banks: The Holographic Approach to Quantum Gravityp. 182
Igor Klebanov: Confinement, Chiral Symmetry Breaking and String Theoryp. 191
Juan Maldacena: Comments on emergent space-timep. 195
Alexander Polyakov: Beyond space-timep. 199
Discussionp. 204
Cosmologyp. 215
Rapporteur talk: The cosmological constant and the string landscape, by Joseph Polchinskip. 216
The cosmological constantp. 216
The string landscapep. 225
Conclusionsp. 233
Discussionp. 237
Prepared Commentsp. 242
Steven Weinbergp. 242
Renata Kallosh: Inflationary models as a test of string theoryp. 246
Andrei Linde: Eternal inflation in stringy landscape and the anthropic principlep. 250
Discussionp. 255
Paul J. Steinhardt: A modest proposal for solving the cosmological constant problemp. 258
Discussionp. 264
Closing remarksp. 269
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