CyI & UCΥ Colloquium: Fundamental Constants in Physics and their Time Dependence

Dates: 
24 June, 2010 - 19:00
Speaker(s): 
Prof. Harald Fritzsch from the University in Munich, Germany
Venue: 
The Cyprus Institute, Guy Ourisson Building, Athalassa Campus (Higher Technical Institute - HTI, grounds)

Host: Prof. Klaus Schilling, CaSToRC, The Cyprus Institute

Abstract

In the Standard Model of Particle Physics there  are 32 fundamental constants. In the experiments these constants can be measured, but theoretically they are not understood. Prof. Fritzsch will discuss these constants, which are mostly mass parameters.
Astrophysical measurements indicate that the fine structure constant depends on time. Grand unification implies a time variation of the QCD scale. Thus the masses of the atomic nuclei and the magnetic moments of the nuclei will depend on time. Fritzsch proposed an experiment, which is currently done by Prof. Haensch in Munich and his group. The first results indicate a time dependence of the QCD scale. He will discuss the theoretical implications.

For more information contact Prof. Klaus Schilling, tel. +357 22208600 or email k [dot] schilling [at] cyi [dot] ac [dot] cy