Program of the THEP group at the institute’s summer meeting 2023
The THEP group will present some of their recent research highlights in particle theory by short talks of about 15 minutes with room for questions. The talks will take place in the THEP social room, Staudingerweg 7, Room 05-427.
Interested persons can join without previous registration.
Overview of Talks
| Time | Name | Talk |
| 10:00 | Dr. Sebastian Poegel | Precision calculations and the structure in the quantum world |
| 10:20 | Dr. Sebastian Schenk | Gravitational waves, pulsar timing arrays, and the search for new physics |
| 10:40 | Dr. Yong Xu | Confronting freeze-in dark matter with inflation |
| 11:00 | Dr. Sebastian Poegel | Precision Calculations and the structure in the quantum world |
| 11:15 | Dr. Ida Zadeh | What are black holes made of? |
| 11:30 | Dr. Sebastian Schenk | Gravitational waves, pulsar timing arrays, and the search for new physics |
Dr. Sebastian Pögel: Precision Calculations and The Structure In The Quantum World
Particle experiments such as the LHC at CERN explore the world in the smallest dimensions. In the process, ever more precise theoretical predictions are needed to test the limits of the Standard Model of particle physics and to obtain clues to previously undiscovered physical phenomena.
In recent decades, it has become apparent that our theoretical models are based on an exceptionally elegant mathematical structure and that, for example, complex geometries are hidden in the description of particle interactions. In this talk, I will give a little insight into the world of elementary particles, and explain how we exploit such mathematical structures in our research to enable ever more accurate theoretical calculations of particle collisions.
Dr. Sebastian Schenk: Gravitational Waves, Pulsar Timing Arrays And The Search For New Physics
Very recently, several pulsar timing array collaborations have reported mounting evidence for a stochastic gravitational wave background at nano-Hertz frequencies. It is possible that this signal comes from new physics that leads to the generation of a primordial stochastic gravitational wave background. In this talk, we will present a set of simple models that can serve as benchmarks for gravitational waves sourced by cosmological phase transitions, domain wall networks, cosmic strings, axion dynamics, or large scalar fluctuations. These models are then confronted with pulsar timing data and cosmological constraints to identify viable regions of parameter space.
Dr. Yong Xu: Confronting Freeze-in Dark Matter with Inflation
Non-baryonic dark matter (DM) comprises approximately 85% of the matter in the Universe, supported by astrophysical and cosmological observations. Feebly Interacting Massive Particles (FIMPs) are promising DM candidates, but their weak coupling hinders direct detection. In this talk, I will show how inflationary constraints can be utilized to explore the parameter space of FIMPs, considering their generation during reheating.
Dr. Ida Zadeh: What Are Black Holes Made Of?
Black holes are one of the most mysterious objects in the Universe. In this talk we will examine some of the unresolved puzzles in black hole physics. We will address these puzzles within the framework of a particular theory of quantum gravity, namely string theory.