2016 CAP Congress / Congrès de l'ACP 2016

S-Matrix Theory: A Bridge Between Physics and Mathematics

16 Jun 2016, 11:00

30m

Marion 150 (University of Ottawa)

Invited Speaker / Conférencier invité Herzberg Public, Plenary, and Medal Talks / Conférenciers des sessions Herzberg, plénières et médaillés (CAP-ACP) R-MEDAL1 CAP Medal Talk - Freddy Cachazo, Perimeter Institute (CAP-CRM Prize in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Recipient / Récipiendaire Prix ACP-CRM en physique théorique et mathématique)

Speaker

Freddy Cachazo (Perimeter Institute)

Description

Scattering amplitudes of massless particles have proven to be very interesting mathematical objects. While clearly defined in terms of Feynman diagrams, these seemingly complicated functions of several complex variables become shockingly simple after miraculous cancellations. In this talk I will explain how Riemann surfaces, cluster algebras and the positive Grassmannian are some of the mathematical ideas responsible for this surprising behavior of standard quantum field theory S-matrices.