Wednesday 3/21/2001
Willet Science Center Room 109
Jose Balduz

"Kinematics of the Non-Local Spacetime Web."

Abstract: Non-local spacetime is presented as a discrete extension or generalization of relativistic spacetime which may be more compatible with quantum theory. We begin with an introduction to the web, including the local and global causal structure, different ways to interpret the web, and possible role of causal defects as particles. Then the non-local Laplacian is presented and compared to a local version analytically. Finally numerical results are presented for the spectrum of the local and non-local Laplacian operators, i.e. allowed masses of propagating scalar fields, in three distinctly-shaped spacetimes: a one-dimensional loop, flat four-dimensional Minkowski or Euclidean space, and a spacetime with the "point set topology."