8th "WEEK OF THE SCIENTIFIC CULTURE" 2nd INTAS MEETING "Fundamental Problems in Classical, Quantum and String Gravity" 5ème "COLLOQUE COSMOLOGIE" ASTROFUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
Célébrations du Centenaire de la Découverte de la Radioactivité. Henri Becquerel. Pierre et Marie Curie
Erice, Ettore Majorana Centre, 23-29 March 1998
Paris, Observatoire de Paris, 30 Avril-4 May 1998
Fundamental Problems in Classical,
Quantum and String Cosmology
EUROCONFERENCE
Paris, Observatoire de Paris, 2-7 June 1998
An updated understanding, from a fundamental and deep point of view, of the progress and current problems in the early universe, cosmic microwave background radiation, large scale structure, dark matter problem, and the interplay between them. Emphasis is given to the mutual impact of fundamental physics and cosmology, both at theoretical and experimental-or observational-levels, within a deep and well defined programme, which provides, in addition, a careful inter-disciplinarity. Special lectures are devoted to particle/nuclear physics and neutrinos in astrophysics and high energy astrophysics.
In addition, each Course of this series introduces and promotes through special sessions, topics or subjects which, although not being of purely astrophysical or cosmological nature, are of relevant physical interest for astrophysics and cosmology. A special session of this Course is devoted to the physics of Scaling Laws, Fractals and Turbulence and their applications.
Deep understanding, clarification, synthesis, careful interdisciplinarity within a fundamental physics approach, are goals of this series.
Lectures cover from a motivation and pedagogical introduction for students and participants not directly working in the field to the last developments an recent results.
All Lectures are plenary, have the same duration and are followed by a discussion. No short talks neither poster sessions are scheduled.
In the latest years, the cross-section between these fields has been increasing both at the theoretical and experimental levels: particles, fields and strings, astronomical observations, space satellites data. Such interplay fruitfully influenced research activity setting up Astrofundamental Physics.
By the nature of the domain itself, there are different aspects, approachs and points of view (sometimes complementary to each other, sometimes in contradiction), to a same topic or subject. Special care is taken to provide the grounds of the different lines of research in competition (not only one approach). In this way, participants have an excellent opportunity to learn about the real state of the discipline, and to learn it in a critical way.
The Course provides an occasion to review achievements, to confront theory and models with observations and among themselves, to exchange information on the latest developments and to discuss future prospects. The Course brings together experimentalists and theoreticians, -physicists, astrophysicists and astronomers- from a variety of backgrounds, young scientists at post-doctoral level, senior scientists and advanced graduate students as well.
Previous Courses: Erice, September 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997.
STRING GRAVITY AND PLANCK ENERGY PHYSICS
The contemporary trends in the quantum unification of all interactions including gravity motivate these Courses. The main goal and impact of modern string theory is to provide a consistent quantum theory of gravity. These Courses are intended to provide an updated understanding of the last developments and current problems of string theory in connection with gravity and the physics at the Planck energy scale.
It is also the aim of these Courses to discuss fundamental problems of quantum gravity in the present-day context irrespective of strings or any other models.
Emphasis is given to the mutual impact of string theory, gravity and cosmology, within a deep a well defined programme, which provides, in addition, a careful interdisciplinarity.
Since the most relevant new physics provided by strings concerns the quantization of gravity, we must, at least, understand string quantization in curved space-times to start.
Curved space-times, besides their evident relevance in classical gravitation, are also important at energies of the order of the Planck scale. At the Planck energy, gravitational interactions are at least as important as the rest and can not be neglected anymore.
All Lectures are plenary, have the same duration and are followed by a discussion.
No short talks neither poster sessions are scheduled.
Previous Courses: Erice, June 1992, September 1995 and sesions in September 1996, 1997.
COLLOQUIA COSMOLOGIE
The purpose of these meetings is to cover selected topics of high current interest in the interplay between cosmology and fundamental physics.
The main aim is to put in contact fundamental theoretical physics (including string theory) with real physical problems which arise in the study of the universe. The Paris Cosmology Colloquia are an informal meetings which bring together physicists, astrophysicists and astronomers.
The format of the Colloquia are intended to allow easy and fruitful mutual contacts and communications. Sessions last for three days leaving enough time for private discussions and to enjoy the beautiful parisian campus of the Paris Observatory (built of orders from Colbert and to plans by Claude Perrault from 1667 to 1672).
All Lectures are plenary, have the same duration and are followed by a discussion.
No short talks neither poster sessions are scheduled.
Topics covered in this Series include: Phase Transitions in Cosmology and Evolution out of the Equilibrium of Quantum Fields. Dark Matter and Large Scale Structure. Fundamental Strings and Cosmic Strings in Cosmology, Black Holes and Quantum Gravity.
Previous Colloquia: Observatoire de Paris, June 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997.
SCIENTIFIC CULTURE
The Daniel CHALONGE Museum and The Paul DIRAC Museum, "ERICE, the City of Science", inaugurated during the Courses of this School, exhibit permanent collections of pictures, documents and instruments, on astrophysics and on particle physics.
The Museums, together with the ERICE SEISMOLOGICAL STATION of the Ettore Majorana Centre, can be visited along the year.
Request for Informations to visit the Museums must be addressed to the Secretariat of the Ettore Majorana Centre in Erice.
The Museums and the Seismological Station participate in the WEEKS OF THE SCIENTIFIC CULTURE which take place in Italy each year (end of march), organized by the Italian Ministry of University and Scientific Research.
The Museums participate in the "CELEBRATIONS DU CENTENAIRE DE LA DECOUVERTE DE LA RADIOACTIVITE. HENRI BECQUEREL. PIERRE ET MARIE CURIE", and particularly this year, during the "8th Week of the Scientific Culture".
The Programme include Guided Visits to: Isidor I. Rabi Institute, Patrick M.S. Blackett Institute, Eugene P. Wigner Institute, Seismological Network of the World Laboratory, Daniel Chalonge Museum (Astrophysics), Paul A.M. Dirac Museum (ParticlePhysics).