Constructive Gravity (PW)5 ECTS
(englische Bezeichnung: Constructive Gravity)
(Prüfungsordnungsmodul: Physics elective courses)

Lehrveranstaltungen:

• • Constructive Gravity
    (Vorlesung, 2 SWS, Frederic P. Schuller, Mi, 10:00 - 12:00, SRTL (307))
  • Übungen zur Vorlesung "Constructive Gravity"
    (Übung, 3 SWS, Frederic P. Schuller, Mi, 15:00 - 17:15, SRTL (307))

Inhalt:

Contents:
This course shows how the dynamics for a spacetime geometry (simplest case: Einstein's field equations) follow from the dynamics of matter fields (simplest case: Maxwell's electrodynamics) on that spacetime. More precisely, we will derive a universal system of partial differential equations -- the so-called construction equations -- whose coefficients are determined by whatever matter dynamics one chooses to establish and whose solutions yield nothing less than the Lagrangian for the spacetime geometry that underpins the chosen matter dynamics. The ingredients into this construction are utterly physical (essentially only the 19th century requirement that the matter dynamics be classically predictive and the 20th century requirement that they additionally be quantizable) but nevertheless translate into a simple algebraic condition on the geometry.

Not only do these insights replace the textbook fiction that the Lagrangian for the spacetime geometry can or must be postulated prior to any specification of matter, but it also extends to refined matter models beyond the standard model of particle physics. Thus the techniques and results developed in this course are of immediate and topical research interest, as they join two fields of theoretical physics that have hitherto developed largely independently: Matter theories beyond the standard model of particle physics (more than justified by the experimental observation that 80 percent of the matter in the universe are not of standard model type) and modified gravity theories beyond Einstein's general relativity.

While participants with some previous exposition to standard general relativity (at the level of, e.g., the central lecture course at the International Winter School on Gravity and Light 2015 on youtube) will maybe more easily appreciate the scope of the insights afforded in the present course, the presentation will nevertheless be properly self-contained, starting from a crisp introduction to the pertinent differential geometry.

Lernziele und Kompetenzen:

Learning goals and competences:
Students

• explain the relevant topics of the lecture

• apply the methods to specific examples

Organisatorisches:

Some prior exposition to general relativity and/or differential geometry useful.

Verwendbarkeit des Moduls / Einpassung in den Musterstudienplan:

1. Physics (Master of Science)
   (Po-Vers. 2015s | NatFak | Physics (Master of Science) | Master's examination | Physics elective courses)

Studien-/Prüfungsleistungen:

Constructive Gravity (Prüfungsnummer: 897692)

(englischer Titel: Constructive Gravity)

Prüfungsleistung, mündliche Prüfung, Dauer (in Minuten): 30, benotet, 5 ECTS

Anteil an der Berechnung der Modulnote: 100.0 %

weitere Erläuterungen:
Masterstudierende mit Studienbeginn ab Sommersemester 2015 können Prüfungen in deutscher Sprache nur mit Genehmigung des Prüfungsausschussvorsitzenden ablegen.

Prüfungssprache: Englisch

Erstablegung: WS 2017/2018, 1. Wdh.: WS 2017/2018 (nur für Wiederholer)

1. Prüfer:

Frederic P. Schuller