Infrared problems in QFT and quantum gravity

Perimeter Institute
December 7, 2016 to December 8, 2016
Infrared problems in quantum field theory lead to many surprising phenomena in scattering theory (e.g. polarization of the vacuum, breaking of Lorentz symmetry, delocalization of the charge), due to existence of massless gauge bosons (photons in QED). Although there are well tested algorithms for computing probabilities of experimental scattering processes, the conceptual understanding of the problem is still very poor. There are strong indications that the same, or even worse, conceptual problems would have to be solved in quantum gravity, due to the presence of the massless graviton. Recently, there have been some advances in understanding the infrared problem in QED, coming from different research communities. The aim of this workshop is to bring together key researchers from these communities who work on infrared problems and to give them opportunity to discuss and start new interdisciplinary collaborations.