Centro de Ciencias de Benasque Pedro Pascual

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Gravity in the Lab

2015, Jul 05 -- Jul 17

Organizers:
I. Fuentes (U. Vienna - U. Nottingham)
M. Aspelmeyer (U. Vienna)
N. Mavalvala (MIT)
C. Westbrook (l'Institut d'Optique, Palaiseau)

The Workshop Gravity in the Lab will gather leading scientists in theory and experiment who aim at measuring gravitational effects in the laboratory. This includes classical and quantum methods with an open interdisciplinary scope.

The 20th century witnessed the birth of both quantum mechanics and relativity. However, the inability to unify the underlying concepts of these two theories remains one of the biggest unsolved problems in physics. New experimental opportunities that are quikly developing promise to provide deeper insights into the interface between gravity and quantum theory.

There are very good reasons to belive that we are very close to directly detecting gravitational waves and quantum optics has been playing a central role in the most advanced experiments. However, we are still lacking experiments that help us understand general relativity at small lengths or large energies where quantum effects become relevant.

It has been suggested that table-top experiments may allow to falsify low-energy consequences of quantum theories of gravity and experiments are underway. Another important approach is the study of large quantum superposition states involving clocks or increasingly massive objects, where experiments promise to be within reach in the near future. Finally, space-based quantum experiments promise a new generation of experiments at the interface of these two fundamental theories.

Recently there has been fast progress in the measurement of gravitational parameters at smaller (laboratory) length scales using quantum systems such as cold neutrons and atoms. These include high-sensitivity measurements of the Newtonian constant, of the gravity field-gradient and –curvature and of short-range gravitational forces. There have even been proposals to use these systems to measure gravitational waves and demonstrate quantum field theory in curved space-time.

The workshop will offer students and researchers lectures that will provide the basic techniques necessary to propose, develop and interpret experiments in the overlap of quantum theory and relativity. Leading scientists will present the latest updates in topics such as measurements of gravitational waves, quantum tests of the equivalence principle, quantum metrology for gravitational fields and space-based quantum experiments.

Registration fee information

The registration fee for this conference is:

Before Jun 26After Jun 26
Regular250 eur.300 eur.
Student150 eur.200 eur.

Pay by bank transfer

The registration fee must be paid to the account of the Centro de Ciencias de Benasque Pedro Pascual after your application has been accepted.

Ibercaja (account number): 2085 2310 3803 3004 4193
IBAN: ES44 2085 2310 3803 3004 4193
BIC: CAZRES2Z

Remember that your registration is complete only after the payment is made.

* Please, send a confirmation by e-mail to info@benasque.org.
* Please pay all bank charges
* Include as a subject in the transfer '2015gil Your_Surname'
* In the comments section include:
      Full name of the conference and your name.


Pay by credit card

Senior: Pay by credit card
Student: Pay by credit card

* All credit card payments have a 0.7% VAT charge.
* You have to be registered.
* Please, pay after your application has been accepted.


*Cancellation Policy*
A 30 euro charge will be applied for cancellations made up to 10 days before the conference start date.
A no refund policy will be applied to cancellations made after this date.


Further Information.


This session has received financial support from the following institutions:

  • logo CSIC
  • Gobierno de Aragón
  • Ministerio de educación y ciencia
  • DPH
  • Universidad de Zaragoza
  • Ayuntamiento de Benasque

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