Particle Theory Seminar: Prateek Agrawal (Harvard) The Cosmological Constant Problem in Scalar Gravity.

Event time: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2018 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: 
Sloane Physics Laboratory (SPL), 52 See map
217 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Event description: 

Title: The Cosmological Constant Problem in Scalar Gravity

Abstract: “I will discuss a toy theory of gravity where the gravitational force is mediated by a scalar particle. This theory can be understood as the low-energy limit of a spontaneously broken Conformal Field Theory, and serves as an intriguing analog to General Relativity, capturing many qualitative features. In fact, it exhibits a fine-tuning problem closely resembling the cosmological constant problem. A solution to this cosmological constant problem in scalar gravity has been proposed. I will discuss an explicit realization of this solution and its connections with the cosmological constant problem in our universe.”