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OATS-DAUT SEMINAR
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Speaker:
Yasunori Fujii (Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda Univ., Japan)
Title: Scalar-tensor theory, the accelerating universe and the
time-dependent fine-structure constant, part I
Date: Monday,
March 5th, 2007
Time: 16:00
Venue: Villa Bazzoni
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Abstract: The gravitational scalar field in the scalar-tensor theory is
shown to provide a natural way to understand unique features of
the accelerating universe. Further developing theoretical ideas
allows us also to derive the time-dependent fine-structure
constant, which is expected to constrain the parameters even more
strongly than the way of acceleration. In part I (Monday 5, March
in Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste), emphases are placed
mainly on the results to be compared with observations, while in
part II (Monday 12, March in SISSA), more detailed analyses are
applied to the theoretical foundations, including a general view
on today's version of the cosmological constant problem, also
comparison with the more phenomenological quintessence approach.
The two parts, in either of which no prior experience on the
scalar-tensor theory is required, can be attended as a sequence
with certain subjects discussed somewhat repeatedly, though
hopefully beyond mere redundancy.
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