AYS Webinar Summary - Session 1: The Origin of Mass in Quantum Field Theory and String Theory
Session Summary
Asian Young Scientist Webinar — “The Biggest Question for My Science” series fosters a deeper understanding of the fundamental questions that drive scientific discovery. Each session features an AYS Fellow and a prominent scientist from related fields discussing the most critical question in their research and the scientific community's approach.
The inaugural session, held on June 16, 2024 (CST), focused on the origin of mass, with presentations by Professors Lian-Tao Wang (University of Chicago), Huaxing Zhu (Peking University), and Rajesh Gopakumar (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), exploring mass in the context of quantum field theory and string theory.
Professor Lian-Tao Wang: The Higgs Mechanism and Fundamental Questions
Professor Lian-Tao Wang initiated the discussion with a comprehensive overview of the origin of mass through the Higgs mechanism. He focused on the Standard Model of elementary particles, identifying several critical questions that remain unanswered:
Why is the Standard Model so different from quantum gravity?
Why is the universe so big?
What is dark matter? What sets its mass?
What drives inflation?
Professor Wang emphasized the importance of these questions for future research, highlighting the potential for new opportunities and breakthroughs in the field.
Professor Huaxing Zhu: Mass Emergence from Strong Interactions
Professor Huaxing Zhu's presentation centered on the current understanding of mass emergence from the strong interactions of quarks and gluons. He posed several significant unresolved questions:
99% of the proton mass is not from quark mass. Where does the mass come from?
How do we distinguish the models like the string fragmentation model and the cluster hadronization model?
How can we experimentally probe the properties of the QCD string?
These questions underscore the complexities and intricacies of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and the need for innovative experimental approaches to unravel these mysteries.
Professor Rajesh Gopakumar: Emergence of Strings from Strong Interactions
Professor Rajesh Gopakumar explored the emergence of strings with tension from strong interactions, aiming to fundamentally understand how strings arise from quantum field theories (QFTs). He highlighted several explosive questions:
Can we derive gauge-string duality, allowing string-like excitations to arise from confining gauge theories like QCD?
Would the spectrum of excitations of such a string enable us to more easily compute the masses of all strongly interacting particles (mesons, baryons)?
Since the QCD mass scale now arises from the string tension, can we understand the origin of string tension?
Is there a stringy Higgs mechanism where a tensionless string theory gains tension by spontaneous breaking of gauge invariance, similar to the SM Higgs mechanism?
These questions point to a deep and rich field of study, with the potential to significantly advance our understanding of fundamental physics.
Conclusion
The session concluded with a call for younger researchers to explore these profound questions. As Professor Wang noted, these inquiries represent opportunities for discovery and advancement in physics. We list the questions here to encourage deep investigation and uncover new possibilities.
The Asian Young Scientist Webinar series is tailored for students and young faculty interested in science, research, and grappling with scientific inquiries across disciplines. Each session features a research topic raised by an AYS Fellow. It will be held monthly via online Zoom meetings and is open to participation.
With special thanks to our event network partners:
