Conformal Nature of the Universe

Conformal symmetry has surfaced in many different areas of gravitational physics, notably in the AdS/CFT correspondence, Horava gravity, Shape Dynamics and the initial value problem in GR, and may very well be our most important clue to a UV-completion of gravity. On the other hand, the early universe offers observational evidence for conformal symmetry in the form of a near-scale invariant primordial power spectrum, as seen in the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure of the universe. In particular, the trading of symmetries between spacetime refoliation invariance for spatial conformal invariance, as in Shape Dynamics, may be manifested in the scale-invariant dynamics of the early universe. This might also lead to a violation of Lorentz symmetry in the gravitational sector, as in Einstein-Aether or Cuscuton gravity. This conference brings researchers in these areas together to foster new interdisciplinary discourse and collaboration in this fascinating interplay between conformal symmetry, cosmology and gravitational physics.

Speakers:

Itzhak Bars, University of Southern California
Steven Carlip, University of California, Davis
Petr Horava, University of California, Berkeley
Viqar Husain, University of New Brunswick
James Isenberg, University of Oregon
Joao Magueigo, Imperial College, London
Shinji Mukohyama, Kavli Institute, IPMU
Kostas Skenderis, University of Amsterdam
Gerard t'Hooft, Utrecht University

Participants:

Niayesh Afshordi, Perimeter Institute
Julian Barbour, College Farm
Itzhak Bars, University of Southern California
Steven Carlip, University of California, Davis
Sean Gryb, Utrecht University
Petr Horava, University of California, Berkeley
Viqar Husain, University of New Brunswick
James Isenberg, University of Oregon
Tim Koslowski, Perimeter Institute
Joao Magueigo, Imperial College, London
Shinji Mukohyama, Kavli Institute, IPMU
Kostas Skenderis, University of Amsterdam
Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute
Gerard t'Hooft, Utrecht University