INT Summer School on

Lattice QCD for Nuclear Physics

August 6–24, 2012
Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Goal

The aim of this school is to provide students with a grounding in the application of lattice gauge theory methods to strongly interacting systems, and in particular to nuclear physics, together with lectures describing the latest advances in the field. We will have a wide variety of topics, including continuum field theory, lattice discretizations, hadron spectroscopy and structure, many-body systems, together with topical lectures in nuclear physics aimed a providing a broad phenomenological background. We will also have numerical exercises so that students can get hands-on experience with parallel computing and data analysis.

Motivation and Background

With ever increasing computational resources and improvements in algorithms, new opportunities are emerging for lattice gauge theory to address key questions in strongly interacting systems (such as nuclear physics). Calculations today use dynamical gauge-field ensembles with degenerate light up/down quarks and the strange quark. The pion masses used, which until now have been unphysically heavy, and now approaching the physical value and other sources of systematic error, such as finite-volume and discretization effects, are beginning to be quantified systematically. Some groups have even begun to include charm-quark degrees of freedom in the QCD vacuum. An era of precision calculation has begun, and many new observables will be calculated at the new computational facilities. Lattice research has also recently expanded to include graphene, trapped atoms, technicolor, quantum gravity and more, creating a wealth of opportunities for young researchers.

Logistics

In this summer school, we aim to hold a series of courses that will give students not only an overall understanding of lattice gauge theory, but also cover in detail how one applies lattice gauge theory to the calculation of key quantities in QCD, with topical courses covering new trends in applying lattice methods to fields such as nuclear physics, astrophysics, Fermi gas systems. Seattle is very pleasant and beautiful in the summer. There are many options for recreational activities either in the city or the surrounding mountains, lakes and ocean. Students will have fun learning and living in Seattle during the school and explore the distinct northwest culture at the best time of the year.

Questions

Please email the local organizer Huey-Wen Lin at hwlin@phys.washington.edu