Organizers:

D. Blas (IFAE - UAB), M. Herrero-Valea (IFAE - UAB)

Lorentz symmetry allows for reconciling Maxwell’s electromagnetism with the principle of relativity, which states that the result of experiments should be the same for all inertial observers. This reconciliation was the basis of Einstein’s Special Relativity. Einstein later formulated General Relativity as a Lorentz symmetric completion of Newtonian gravity. Today, much of theoretical physics is built on Lorentz symmetry as a cornerstone of the standard model of particle physics. Given how embedded this symmetry is in our understanding of Nature, any hint of its violation would shake physics at its core.

Given its importance, it is quite surprising that bounds on Lorentz symmetry violations in gravity are rather weak, compared to the exquisite tests of this symmetry that have been carried out in the matter sector. This knowledge gap is even more striking in the light of recent developments in quantum gravity, whereby giving up Lorentz symmetry (and in particular boost symmetry) allows for constructing gravitational theories that are power counting and perturbatively renormalizable, e.g. Horava gravity.

This workshop will focus on Lorentz violations in gravitational physics from both a theoretical and phenomenological/astrophysical point of view, bringing together the most prominent researchers in the field. This is envisioned as a second meeting following a very successful one organized in Italy in 2023.

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