INT Summer School on Lattice QCD for Nuclear Physics on August 6-24, 2012 at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funds to support students attending the INT Summer School on Lattice QCD for Nuclear Physics at the University of Washington. Unlike the three other known fundamental forces in nature, the strong force is strong at relatively low energies, and consequently it cannot be fully studied through traditional perturbative methods. Lattice gauge theory is the field in which one therefore performs calculations involving the strong force numerically by discretizing spacetime, evaluating relevant amplitudes on this discretized spacetime, and then taking the spacing associated with the spacetime lattice to zero (thereby hopefully extracting results for the full "continuum" theory). Lattice gauge theory thus not only provides us with a direct non-perturbative means of studying the strong interaction, but also enables us to understand strong-interaction dynamics at the level of precision needed in order to give meaning to upcoming collider experiments. In recent years, the techniques of lattice gauge theory have even extended beyond the strong interaction per se, becoming relevant for fields as diverse as graphene, trapped atoms, technicolor, and even quantum gravity. Despite the importance of this subject, however, there is no systematic way for students or young researchers to learn about it. Attending this event will therefore provide junior participants not only with an overall understanding of lattice gauge theory, but also with an understanding of how lattice gauge theory may be applied to the calculation of key quantities in QCD. Students who attend will also be exposed to new trends in applying lattice methods to fields such as nuclear physics, astrophysics, and Fermi gas systems.