Particle Theory at the Higgs Centre
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
There are two types of fundamental forces in Nature: those responsible for particle
interactions at subatomic scales and those responsible for the large scale structure of
the universe. The former is described by Quantum Field Theories (QFT) such as the
Standard Model(SM). Currently, our understanding of Nature at the most fundamental
level is at the crossroads. Last year, the LHC at CERN collided protons at higher energies
than ever before, and observed sufficient collisions to find a significant excess at 125 GeV,
consistent with the Higgs boson of the SM. Over the coming years it should become
clear whether this is indeed a SM Higgs, responsible for generating masses for vector
bosons, leptons and quarks, or whether it is something different. It should also become
clearer whether there is more physics at the TeV scale, or whether this is it. In either event,
it is clear that this will be a transformative period in fundamental physics, making the next
few years the most exciting time for a generation or more.
Our programme of research at the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics in Edinburgh is
designed to be at the forefront of these new discoveries: indeed Peter Higgs himself is
Emeritus Professor here. Specifically, we provide theoretical calculations, using pen
and paper, and the most powerful supercomputers, of both the huge number of
background processes to be seen at LHC due to known physics, and the tiny signals
expected in various models of new physics, in order to discriminate between signal and
background, and thus maximise the discovery potential of the LHC.
In parallel, we will attempt to understand the more complete picture of all the forces of
Nature that may begin to emerge. The fundamental force responsible for large scale structure
is described Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (GR). During the last three decades,
string theory has emerged as a conceptually rich theoretical framework reconciling both
GR and QFT. The low-energy limit of String Theory is supergravity (SUGRA), a nontrivial
extension of GR in which the universe is described by a spacetime with additional
geometric data. Members of the group have pioneered approaches to deriving observable
cosmological consequences of String Theory, to studying how the geometrical notions on
which GR is predicated change at very small ("stringy") distance scales,
and the systematic classification of SUGRA backgrounds. The group is also engaged in
using these theories to improve calculations in existing field theories.
In summary, our research will impinge on both theoretical and computational aspects
relevant to probing the phenomenology of incoming LHC data, and will also encompass
a wide range of topics in QFT and gravitational aspects of String Theory, impinging on
cosmology, particle physics and on the very nature of String Theory itself.
interactions at subatomic scales and those responsible for the large scale structure of
the universe. The former is described by Quantum Field Theories (QFT) such as the
Standard Model(SM). Currently, our understanding of Nature at the most fundamental
level is at the crossroads. Last year, the LHC at CERN collided protons at higher energies
than ever before, and observed sufficient collisions to find a significant excess at 125 GeV,
consistent with the Higgs boson of the SM. Over the coming years it should become
clear whether this is indeed a SM Higgs, responsible for generating masses for vector
bosons, leptons and quarks, or whether it is something different. It should also become
clearer whether there is more physics at the TeV scale, or whether this is it. In either event,
it is clear that this will be a transformative period in fundamental physics, making the next
few years the most exciting time for a generation or more.
Our programme of research at the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics in Edinburgh is
designed to be at the forefront of these new discoveries: indeed Peter Higgs himself is
Emeritus Professor here. Specifically, we provide theoretical calculations, using pen
and paper, and the most powerful supercomputers, of both the huge number of
background processes to be seen at LHC due to known physics, and the tiny signals
expected in various models of new physics, in order to discriminate between signal and
background, and thus maximise the discovery potential of the LHC.
In parallel, we will attempt to understand the more complete picture of all the forces of
Nature that may begin to emerge. The fundamental force responsible for large scale structure
is described Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (GR). During the last three decades,
string theory has emerged as a conceptually rich theoretical framework reconciling both
GR and QFT. The low-energy limit of String Theory is supergravity (SUGRA), a nontrivial
extension of GR in which the universe is described by a spacetime with additional
geometric data. Members of the group have pioneered approaches to deriving observable
cosmological consequences of String Theory, to studying how the geometrical notions on
which GR is predicated change at very small ("stringy") distance scales,
and the systematic classification of SUGRA backgrounds. The group is also engaged in
using these theories to improve calculations in existing field theories.
In summary, our research will impinge on both theoretical and computational aspects
relevant to probing the phenomenology of incoming LHC data, and will also encompass
a wide range of topics in QFT and gravitational aspects of String Theory, impinging on
cosmology, particle physics and on the very nature of String Theory itself.
Planned Impact
The Higgs Centre is involved in outreach activities such as talks at secondary schools
and University Open Day events and for organizations such as the IOP. These activities
will continue with plans for increase through greater personal initiative by Institute
members as well as through cooperation with organizations including the University
and Particle Physics 4 Scottish Schools. Institute members also have had interaction
with the popular science press through offering expertise opinions for articles, having
our own work covered, and being involved in press releases by the University, STFC
and IBM.
The Centre is also involved in various engagement activities through its affiliation with the
Maxwell Institute, whose vision is to maintain a strong connectivity to the world outside
theoretical science. To deliver this vision, the Maxwell Institute aims to enhance the breadth
of theoretical research addressed at the two universities, to expand its impact on a range of
applications to other academic areas, and to increase the reach and impact of our research
by promoting collaborations with other academic disciplines, industry and commerce, and the
engagement of the public.
We have a unique task of developing and supporting public interest in the
work of our retired Professor Emeritus Peter Higgs. We receive information almost
on a daily basis of press coverage of him or the Higgs boson by media organizations
all over the world. We also host media and television organizations who interview
Peter Higgs. This activity was particularly intense in July 2012, with a press conference
announcing the new Higgs Centre timed with the Higgs discovery. We will continue this
support activity, which will be most essential in the coming years, with anticipation of a
Nobel prize this October.
We have impacted the high performance computing industry and consequently all of
scientific computing in a quite unique way. We have jointly designed the memory
prefetch engine for the next generation BlueGene/Q supercomputer chip with IBM
Research under a formal Collaboration Agreement. This design was the fastest
computer in the world (top500) in June 2012, and a paper coauthored by Edinburgh
and IBM won the 2012 Gauss Award at the international supercomputing conference.
The design is now IBM's premier HPC product and the basis for many large installations
serving academia and industry around the world. This includes the STFC Hartree
facility, which is boosting advanced manufacturing in the UK.
and University Open Day events and for organizations such as the IOP. These activities
will continue with plans for increase through greater personal initiative by Institute
members as well as through cooperation with organizations including the University
and Particle Physics 4 Scottish Schools. Institute members also have had interaction
with the popular science press through offering expertise opinions for articles, having
our own work covered, and being involved in press releases by the University, STFC
and IBM.
The Centre is also involved in various engagement activities through its affiliation with the
Maxwell Institute, whose vision is to maintain a strong connectivity to the world outside
theoretical science. To deliver this vision, the Maxwell Institute aims to enhance the breadth
of theoretical research addressed at the two universities, to expand its impact on a range of
applications to other academic areas, and to increase the reach and impact of our research
by promoting collaborations with other academic disciplines, industry and commerce, and the
engagement of the public.
We have a unique task of developing and supporting public interest in the
work of our retired Professor Emeritus Peter Higgs. We receive information almost
on a daily basis of press coverage of him or the Higgs boson by media organizations
all over the world. We also host media and television organizations who interview
Peter Higgs. This activity was particularly intense in July 2012, with a press conference
announcing the new Higgs Centre timed with the Higgs discovery. We will continue this
support activity, which will be most essential in the coming years, with anticipation of a
Nobel prize this October.
We have impacted the high performance computing industry and consequently all of
scientific computing in a quite unique way. We have jointly designed the memory
prefetch engine for the next generation BlueGene/Q supercomputer chip with IBM
Research under a formal Collaboration Agreement. This design was the fastest
computer in the world (top500) in June 2012, and a paper coauthored by Edinburgh
and IBM won the 2012 Gauss Award at the international supercomputing conference.
The design is now IBM's premier HPC product and the basis for many large installations
serving academia and industry around the world. This includes the STFC Hartree
facility, which is boosting advanced manufacturing in the UK.
Organisations
Publications
Cossu G
(2017)
Ergodicity of the LLR method for the Density of States
Damgaard P
(2016)
Effective field theory and electroweak baryogenesis in the singlet-extended Standard Model
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Davoudi Z
(2019)
Theoretical aspects of quantum electrodynamics in a finite volume with periodic boundary conditions
in Physical Review D
De Medeiros P
(2018)
Killing superalgebras for lorentzian six-manifolds
in Journal of Geometry and Physics
De Medeiros P
(2016)
Killing superalgebras for Lorentzian four-manifolds
De Medeiros P
(2018)
Killing superalgebras for Lorentzian six-manifolds
De Medeiros P
(2016)
Supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on conformal supergravity backgrounds in ten dimensions
in Journal of High Energy Physics
De Medeiros P
(2016)
Killing superalgebras for Lorentzian four-manifolds
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Debbio L
(2015)
Recent progress in simulations of gauge theories on the lattice
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Del Debbio L
(2016)
Large volumes and spectroscopy of walking theories
in Physical Review D
Del Debbio L
(2017)
A UV complete compositeness scenario: LHC constraints meet the lattice
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Del Debbio L
(2014)
MCgrid: Projecting cross section calculations on grids
in Computer Physics Communications
Del Debbio L
(2014)
Conformal scaling and the size of m -hadrons
in Physical Review D
Del Debbio L
(2015)
Large volumes and spectroscopy of walking theories
Del Debbio L
(2014)
Renormalisation group, trace anomaly and Feynman-Hellmann theorem
in Physics Letters B
Del Debbio L
(2017)
A UV Complete Compositeness Scenario: LHC Constraints Meet The Lattice
Demessie G
(2015)
Higher Poincaré lemma and integrability
in Journal of Mathematical Physics
Detournay S
(2014)
Variational principle and one-point functions in three-dimensional flat space Einstein gravity
in Physical Review D
Dragos J
(2016)
Nucleon matrix elements using the variational method in lattice QCD
in Physical Review D
Dukes M
(2014)
Webs and posets
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Falcioni G
(2014)
Multiple gluon exchange webs
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2019)
Conformal Lie algebras via deformation theory
in Journal of Mathematical Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2015)
Sasakian manifolds and M-theory
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2018)
Kinematical Lie algebras via deformation theory
in Journal of Mathematical Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2016)
Eleven-dimensional supergravity from filtered subdeformations of the Poincaré superalgebra
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2019)
Geometry and BMS Lie algebras of spatially isotropic homogeneous spacetimes
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2017)
On the algebraic structure of Killing superalgebras
in Advances in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2014)
Supersymmetry of hyperbolic monopoles
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2019)
Spatially isotropic homogeneous spacetimes
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2017)
Higher-dimensional kinematical Lie algebras via deformation theory
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2018)
Spatially isotropic homogeneous spacetimes
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2016)
On the algebraic structure of Killing superalgebras
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2014)
The homogeneity theorem for supergravity backgrounds II: the six-dimensional theories
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2016)
Sasakian manifolds and M-theory
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2016)
Spencer Cohomology and 11-Dimensional Supergravity
in Communications in Mathematical Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2017)
Kinematical Lie algebras via deformation theory
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2018)
Higher-dimensional kinematical Lie algebras via deformation theory
in Journal of Mathematical Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2018)
Conformal Lie algebras via deformation theory
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2016)
Homogeneous M2 duals
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill J
(2019)
Geometry and BMS Lie algebras of spatially isotropic homogeneous spacetimes
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Figueroa-O'Farrill Jose
(2017)
On the algebraic structure of Killing superalgebras
in ADVANCES IN THEORETICAL AND MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS
FLAG Working Group
(2014)
Review of lattice results concerning low-energy particle physics.
in The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields
Flynn J
(2015)
B ? p l ? and B s ? K l ? form factors and | V u b | from 2 + 1 -flavor lattice QCD with domain-wall light quarks and relativistic heavy quarks
in Physical Review D
Flynn J.
(2019)
Semileptonic B ? p`?, B ? D`?, Bs ? K`?, and Bs ? Ds`? decays
in Proceedings of Science
Fodor Z
(2016)
Up and Down Quark Masses and Corrections to Dashen's Theorem from Lattice QCD and Quenched QED.
in Physical review letters
Gardi E
(2014)
From webs to polylogarithms
in Journal of High Energy Physics
| Description | Lots of interesting particle physics |
| Exploitation Route | Lots of ways |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Description | Panel discussion on machine learning and future HPC Intel HPC developer conference. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited as panel expert on future of HPC and machine learning by Intel at their annual HPC developer conference attended widely by Industry and research lab sector. Note, Boyle second from left in photograph on the Intel web page linked below. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/events/hpcdevcon/overview.html |
| Description | Talk on MPI optimisation on Intel stand at Supercomputing 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Decision influence: I Influenced Intel to modify, update and release optimisations to their MPI library for the Intel Omnipath interconnect. Coauthored a paper on this topic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://inspirehep.net/record/1636204 |
| Description | Talks presented on this activity at Intel Xeon Phi User Group conferences. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presented work in several Intel Xeon Phi User Group meetings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |