Symmetries of Gravity at the Black Hole Horizon (22rit005)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Symmetries of Gravity at the Black Hole Horizon" workshop in Banff from November 20 to 27, 2022.

Obtaining an understanding of quantum gravity is a central goal in theoretical physics. While both general relativity and quantum mechanics are used extensively in our modern world, in situations where they have overlapping relevance they seem to often give rise to contradictory and puzzling results. This happens for example in black holes, very massive yet very small objects, where the gravitational force is strong at short distances. A basic feature of any physical theory is its symmetry and conservation laws. In theories like gravity, such symmetries are associated with certain substructures in space-time that are referred to as 'corners'. Recent progress in understanding the relevance of this symmetry and geometric structures gives hope that physics such as that of black hole horizons may be understood in a universal fashion, shedding light on the quantum aspects of such gravitational phenomena. This research meeting aims to deepen the new understanding of symmetries in gravity in the context of black hole physics.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).