Physics Special Colloquium, March 3, 2005

Precision Electroweak Physics

Sarah Eno

University of Maryland

Modern theories of fundamental forces, such as the Glashow-Salam-Weinberg theory of electroweak interactions, quantum chromodynamics, and general relativity are elegant mathematically and aesthetically. However, the electroweak theory is unique in that it easily lends itself to precision predictions of experimental observables. The most interesting predictions are those that depend on the high energy part of the theory. Precision measurements of electroweak parameters can then yield predictions of new particle masses and properties. I review how, historically, the properties of high mass particles were anticipated by precision low energy measurements.

I describe measurements, especially of the W boson, that are being done by current experiments such as the Tevatron, and what they may be telling us about the high energy parts of the theory that will be probed when the Large Hadron Collider turns on in 2007.

10:30 a.m., Room TBA

Refreshments served at 10:00 a.m.