L Glaser (Vienna U), Causal Set theory - sometimes the continuum isn't the limit

Wednesday 26 Jul 2023, 16:15 → 17:45 Europe/Berlin

Causal sets are a proposed theory of quantum gravity, operating on
fundamental discreteness and time like order.
The fundamental discreteness means that the continuum can only ever be
considered an approximation. Still, much continuum information can be
recovered, and as a fundamentally discrete and Lorentzian theory causal
sets have a unique perspective on spacetime.
To construct quantum causal sets, a natural tool is to calculate path
integrals. While there is some work in the analytic direction, it is
much more accessible to undertake computer simulations, and thus explore
the space of geometries.

In this talk I will introduce causal set theory, and then talk a bit
about by computer simulations of causal sets coupled to an Ising model,
which leads to mixed order phase transitions.