College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of South Carolina
Colloquium
“An Integration of General Relativity
and Quantum Theory”
Speaker:
Dr. Joseph E. Johnson
Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
THURSDAY
May
5
Abstract:
For the last one hundred years, physicists have been
frustrated by the lack of a methodology for integrating
Einstein’s theory of general relativity with quantum theory
as well as with the emerging standard model. I will review
and then utilize, (1) the customary assumptions for standard
relativistic quantum theory as based upon the foundational
framework of the representations of the Poincare (Lorentz,
rotation, and translation algebras) and the Heisenberg Lie
algebras, (2) Einstein’s formulation of general relativity, and
(3) the (evolving) gauge algebras of the standard model. I
then make a single very natural generalization to this
structure that links these components together. I then
propose a new algebraic framework with an “algebra of
both space-time and gauge observables” that integrates
quantum theory with general relativity into a single
framework of a space-time based “Lie” algebra with
variable “structure constraints” (determined by the energy
momentum tensor) whose representations in turn define
the particles and fields in the standard model. I will also
discuss an approach that might enable some solutions and
results with the resulting set of these complex equations.
One result is a new form of the Heisenberg uncertainty
principle in the presence of strong gravitational fields.
4:15 p.m.
Jones Physical Science
Center Room 409
(Rogers Seminar Room)
Hosted By:
Dr. Timir Datta
Refreshments Served
Everyone Invited
www.physics.sc.edu