The Statistical Mechanics of the Universe
28.03.2017
| Date | 28.03.2017 |
|---|---|
| Time | 16:15<br /><small>coffe at 15:45 in HIT J 43.1</small> |
| Place |
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| Speaker | Jürg Fröhlich |
| Area of expertise | Physics |
| Host | Dep. Physik |
| Contact | Lilly |
| Abstract | After some apologies, I attempt to summarize and discuss some fundamental puzzles in cosmology. I then review a few basic facts about the geometry of the Universe and about its statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Particular attention is paid to conservation laws related to (approximately) conserved currents and chemical potentials conjugate to conserved quantities. As a first application of the general formalism, I describe a mechanism that may lead to the generation of cosmic magnetic fields. I then turn to a discussion and critique of a model of (fuzzy) dark matter recently discussed in the literature. In this context I draw attention to some gravitational instabilities. The talk will end with speculations concerning the nature of Dark Energy and with some concluding observations on cosmology by an outsider and dilettante. |