Twistors, Strings and Scattering Amplitudes: An LMS Durham Research Symposium

在过去的四分之一个世纪里，理论物理学的一个基本目标就是从粒子物理的“标准模型”中获得物理预测。然而，这个模型极其复杂，动作本身需要很多页才能完整详细地表达出来。正因为如此，大量的工作集中在一个更简单的模型上，N=4超杨Mills理论，它包含了标准模型的重要部分，但由于额外的对称性，预计更容易分析。欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机(定于2007年投入使用)将提供一个大量的数据源，用于与该理论进行比较，但在此之前，我们必须能够计算散射幅度，直到最近，许多所需的计算都超出了现有技术的范围。然而，2003年12月，Ed Witten发表了一篇引人注目的论文，介绍了一种新的理论，称为扭弦理论，它导致了惊人的和数学上美丽的猜想，给出了N=4个超杨-米尔斯理论的散射幅度公式。然而，扭弦理论可以走得更远，它有可能成为包括量子引力在内的基础物理的一种新方法。事实上，扭弦理论影响了理论物理的几个主要领域，并克服了这些领域的主要障碍；一些领域的进展超过了前十年。如果我们要继续在国际最高水平上为这一学科的发展做出贡献，给英国科学家一个巩固在这些领域取得的进展的机会是至关重要的。建议于2007年8月在达勒姆大学举办一次为期5天的会议，题为扭转、弦和散射幅度，由P.Candelas(牛津)、X.de la Ossa(牛津)、L.Mason(牛津)和Z.Bern(加州大学洛杉矶分校)组织。这将把领先的海外和英国研究人员聚集在一起，进行一段时间的集中研究活动和思想交流。该方案的设计将侧重于显示出特别希望的领域，以及不同群体之间的互动可能最有益处的领域。会议将有一个整齐的讲座计划，有很多机会进行讨论、合作和非正式交谈。会议结果最初将通过一个积极管理和易于访问的网站分发，该网站将载有与会者名单、演讲摘要和其他相关信息。会议结束后一个月内，将通过网络摄像头(经发言者允许)对主要会议进行录音，并在网站上免费提供。课堂讲稿和/或幻灯片也将放在网站上。更详细的会议记录将通过在研究期刊上发表受会议主题启发的前沿文章来提供。预计这次会议将对世界上对我们理解物理学具有根本重要性的领域的研究产生重大而持久的推动作用。

A fundamental objective of theoretical physics over the last quarter of a century has been to obtain physical predictions from the `standard model' of particle physics. However, this model is extremely complicated, and the action itself takes many pages to express in full detail. Because of this, a great deal of work has focussed on a simpler model, N=4 super Yang Mills theory, which embodies important parts of the standard model but by virtue of additional symmetries is expected to be more analytically tractable.The Large Hadron Collider at CERN (due to come on stream in 2007) will provide a substantial data source against which to compare the theory, but before this can be done we must be able to calculate scattering amplitudes and, until recently, many of the required computations were beyond the existing techniques. However, in December 2003 Ed Witten published a remarkable paper which introduces a new type of theory, called twistor-string theory, which has led to striking and mathematically beautiful conjectures giving formulae for scattering amplitudes for N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. However, twistor-string theory could go much deeper than this; it has the potential to become a new approach to basic physics including quantum gravity.In fact, twistor-string theory impacts on several major areas of theoretical physics, and overcomes major obstacles in these areas; the resulting progress in some areas has outstripped that of the previous decade. It is crucial that UK scientists be given an opportunity to consolidate the progress that has been made in these areas if we are to continue to contribute to the development of this subject at the highest international level.It is proposed to hold a 5-day conference in August 2007 at the University of Durham entitled Twistors, Strings and Scattering Amplitudes, organised by P. Candelas (Oxford), X. de la Ossa (Oxford), L. Mason (Oxford) and Z. Bern (UC Los Angeles). This will bring together leading overseas and UK researchers for a period of concentrated research activity and interchange of ideas. The programme will be designed to focus on areas which show particular promise, and where interactions between different groups are likely to be of most benefit. There will be an uncluttered lecture programme, with ample opportunities for discussions, collaborations and informal talks.The results of the meeting will be distributed initially via an actively-managed and easily accessible website, which will contain a list of participants, abstracts of talks and other relevant information. The main talks will be recorded (with permission of the speakers) via a web-cam, and be made freely available on the website within one month of the finish of the meeting. Lecture notes and/or slides will also be put on the site. A more detailed record of the meeting will be provided by the publication in research journals of cutting-edge articles inspired by the subjects covered in the meeting. The conference is expected to provide a major lasting boost to world research in areas of fundamental importance for our understanding of physics.