Fundamental Physics — Heisenberg and Beyond: Werner Heisenberg Centennial Symposium “Developments in Modern Physics”

191 Pages·2004·6.906 MB·English

by  Saburo Nagakura (auth.), Prof. Gerd W. Buschhorn, Prof. Julius Wess (eds.)

Fundamental Physics − Heisenberg and Beyond
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH
WERNER HEISENBERG 1966
The portrait on the wall shows Heisenberg’s first teacher Arnold Sommerfeld.
(Photo: W. Ernst Böhm, Ludwigshafen/Rh.)
Gerd W. Buschhorn Julius Wess (Eds.)
−−−−−
Fundamental Physics
Heisenberg and Beyond
Werner Heisenberg Centennial Symposium
”Developments in Modern Physics“
1 3
Prof. Gerd W. Buschhorn
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik
Werner-Heisenberg-Institut
Föhringer Ring 6
80805 Munich, Germany
Prof. Julius Wess
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik
Werner-Heisenberg-Institut
Föhringer Ring 6
80805 Munich, Germany
and
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Sektion Physik
Theresienstr. 37
80333 Munich, Germany
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Werner Heisenberg Centennial Symposium ‘Developments in Modern Physics’ (2001: Munich, Germany)
Fundamental physics -- Heisenberg and beyond : Werner Heisenberg Centennial Symposium ‘Developments in Modern Physics’
/ Gerd W. Buschhorn, Julius Wess (eds.) p. cm. Includes bibliographical references
ISBN 3-540-20201-3 (acid-free paper) 1. Quantum theory--Congresses. 2. Heisenberg, Werner, 1901-1976--Congresses. I.
Heisenberg, Werner, 1901-1976. II. Buschhorn, Gerd W. III. Wess, Julius. IV. Title.
QC173.96.W47 2004 530.12--dc22 2004045316
ISBN 978-3-642-62203-8 ISBN 978-3-642-18623-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-18623-3
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Preface
Quantummechanics,formulatedbyWernerHeisenbergin1925,isamongthe
greatestachievementsinphysicsanditmarkedthebeginningofacompletely
new area of atomic and fundamental physics. Werner Heisenberg’s formula-
tionwastheculminationofaseriesofdevelopmentsstartedbyMaxPlanck’s
postulate of the quantum principle.
The impact quantum mechanics has had on the development of physics
canhardlybeoverestimated.Quantummechanicswasbornoutofthestrug-
gle to explain the complexities of atomic spectra but has since been the key
for understanding the properies of matter ranging from its most elementary
constituents to its collective behaviour in condensed matter, up to macro-
scopic scales. In the decades since its first formulation, quantum mechanics
has proven to constitute the correct description of nature – no exception
to its predictions have been found. Today physical theories describing the
beginning oftheuniverseandevolution untilitsultimatefatearebuilt onit.
The new way of thinking implied by quantum mechanics also had an
important influence beyond physics per se. From his early discussions with
NielsBohr,apioneerinthedevelopmentoftheatomicmodel,andthroughout
hislife,Heisenbergwasinterestedintherelationofphysicstophilosophyand
humanities.
Thecelebrationofthe100thanniversaryofthebirthdayofWernerHeisen-
berg took place in the Great Aula of the Ludwig Maximilians University in
Munich on 5th December 2001, the day of Werner Heisenberg’s 100th birth-
day. Heisenberg had studied at the Ludwig Maximilians University in the
years 1920 to 1923 under the guidance of the great teacher Arnold Som-
merfeld and received his Doctorate in 1923. In 1958 Heisenberg returned to
Munich to lead his Max Planck Institute. He worked there until his death in
1976 and was buried in Munich.
The Centennial celebration was opened by the Rector Magnificus of the
University, Professor Andreas Helfrich, and the Bu¨rgermeister of the City of
Munich, Dr. Waltraud Burkert, followed by addresses from the President of
the Max Planck Society, Professor Hubert Markl, and the President of the
Bavarian Academyof Sciencesat Munich, Professor Heinrich No¨th. The offi-
cial speeches were delivered by Professor Reimar Lu¨st, a member of Heisen-
berg’s institute in Go¨ttingen and his successoras President of the Alexander
von Humboldt Stiftung, and Professor Chen Ning Yang, Nobel Laureate of
1957 in Physics. While Professor Lu¨st was honoring Werner Heisenberg in
VI Preface
particular for his role as an organizer of the reconstruction of science in Ger-
many after 1945, Professor Yang pointed out Werner Heisenberg’s scientific
genius. These two speeches as well as an address of homage by the Japan
Academy, delivered by a delegation, are reproduced in the first part of this
Festschrift.
The Werner Heisenberg Centennial was accompanied by an International
Symposium “Developments in Modern Physics” on the 6th and 7th of De-
cember, which was also held in the Great Aula of the Ludwig Maximilians
University.TheorganizersoftheSymposiumfeltthatitwouldbestservethe
memoryofWernerHeisenbergtohaveanaccountofcentralareasofresearch
in fundamental physics – experimental as well as theoretical – presented by
eminentspeakers.ThetalksoftheSymposium–withtheexceptionofthetalk
by Michael Turner on “Cosmological Uncertainty” for which no manuscript
was submitted – are reproduced in the second part of this Festschrift.
These two central events of the Centennial celebration were accompa-
nied by the exhibition “Werner Heisenberg (1901–1976) – Forscher, Lehrer
und Organisator,” prepared by Helmut Rechenberg (Mu¨nchen) and Gerald
Wiemers(Leipzig)intheMaxPlanckHausoftheMaxPlanckSocietyinMu-
nich.Adedicatedperformanceofthetheaterplay”Copenhagen”byMichael
Frayn was given at the Deutsches Museum in Mu¨nchen; it was performed by
the group “Theater Landgraf,” Titisee. Commemoration meetings were held
in Munich by the Bavarian Academy of Arts of which Heisenberg had been
a member, and at the Deutsches Museum of which Heisenberg had been a
member of the Vorstandsrat.
The 100th birthday of Werner Heisenberg was celebrated also by institu-
tionsandinlocationswhichhadbeenofimportanceinHeisenbergsscientific
life. Out of them are mentioned the dedicated Meeting at Bamberg of the
Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation,ofwhichWernerHeisenberghadbeen
Presidentintheyears1953to1975,andaFestcolloquiumattheUniversityof
Leipzig, where Heisenberg had held his first professorhip from 1927 to 1942.
The latter was accompanied by a parallel exhibition to the one mentioned.
The Centennial celebrations for Werner Heisenberg were attended by rel-
atives, personal friends, scholars, former colleagues and scientists from all
over the world, who wanted to honor this great physicist. To all of them,
but in particular to the speakers at the official events, the organizers of the
Centennial Celebrations and the editors of the Festschrift want to express
their sincerest thanks. They owe their thanks to Helmut Rechenberg for his
support and engagement. They are indebted to Rosita Jurgeleit, Kristiane
Preuss and Carola Reinke for their engaged participation in the preparation
andorganizationofthedifferenteventsoftheWernerHeisenbergcelebration.
Munich, Gerd W. Buschhorn
April 2004 Julius Wess
Contents
Part I
Commemorative Meeting
Address from the Japan Academy
Saburo Nagakura................................................ 3
Heisenberg und die Verantwortung des Forschers
Reimar Lu¨st.................................................... 5
1 Einleitung .................................................. 5
2 Staatsbu¨rger und Patriot ..................................... 6
3 Wegbereiter der Wissenschaft in Deutschland ................... 8
4 F¨orderer internationaler Zusammenarbeit in der Wissenschaft..... 11
English translation:
Heisenberg and the Scientist’s Responsibility ................. 15
Werner Heisenberg (1901–1976)
Chen Ning Yang ................................................ 25
Part II
Scientific Symposium
Welcome Address
Julius Wess .................................................... 33
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty and Matter Wave Interferometry
with Large Molecules
Markus Arndt, Anton Zeilinger ................................... 35
1 Quantum Physics at the Microscopic/Mesoscopic Interface........ 35
2 Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Relation ............................. 36
3 Young’s Double/Multi-slit Experiment with Buckyballs .......... 40
4 Interchanging the Roles of Light and Matter .................... 43
5 A Scalable Interferometer for Large Molecules................... 45
VIII Contents
6 Perspectives ................................................ 49
References ..................................................... 50
The Stability of Matter and Quantum Electrodynamics
Elliott H. Lieb.................................................. 53
1 Foreword................................................... 53
2 Introduction ................................................ 54
3 Nonrelativistic Matter Without the Magnetic Field .............. 57
4 Relativistic Kinematics (No Magnetic Field) .................... 60
5 Interaction of Matter with Classical Magnetic Fields ............. 61
6 Relativity Plus Magnetic Fields ............................... 64
References ..................................................... 67
The Quantum Theory of Light and Matter –
Mathematical Results
Ju¨rg Fro¨hlich................................................... 69
1 Introduction ................................................ 69
2 Ultraviolet Renormalization of the “Standard Model” ............ 72
3 Stability of Matter [4]........................................ 73
4 Atomic Spectra [5]........................................... 73
5 Scattering Theory [6] ........................................ 74
6 Return to Equilibrium, Thermal Ionization ..................... 75
References ..................................................... 76
Four Big Questions with Pretty Good Answers
Frank Wilczek .................................................. 79
1 What Is the Origin of Mass?.................................. 79
2 Why Is Gravity Feeble? ...................................... 86
3 Are the Laws of Physics Unique? .............................. 88
4 What Happens if You Keep Squeezing? ........................ 93
References ..................................................... 97
Supersymmetry: the Next Spectroscopy
Michael E. Peskin............................................... 99
1 Introduction ................................................ 99
2 Triumphs and Problems of the Standard Model ................. 100
3 Supersymmetry ............................................. 104
4 Supersymmetry as the Successor to the Standard Model.......... 106
5 Beyond the Supersymmetric Standard Model ................... 114
6 Interpretation of the SUSY-Breaking Parameters ................ 116
7 Measuring the Superspectrum................................. 120
8 Conclusions................................................. 130
References ..................................................... 131
Contents IX
Neutrino Masses
as a Probe of Grand Unification
Guido Altarelli ................................................. 135
1 Introduction ................................................ 135
2 Neutrino Masses and Lepton Number Violation ................. 136
3 Four-Neutrino Models........................................ 137
4 Three-Neutrino Models ...................................... 139
5 Simple Examples with Horizontal Abelian Charges .............. 144
6 From Minimal to Realistic SUSY SU(5)........................ 149
7 SU(5) Unification in Extra Dimensions......................... 151
8 SO(10) Models.............................................. 152
9 Conclusion ................................................. 153
References ..................................................... 154
M Theory: Uncertainty and Unification
Joseph Polchinski ............................................... 157
1 Introduction ................................................ 157
2 A Fundamental Length....................................... 158
3 Uncertainty................................................. 159
4 Nonlinearity ................................................ 162
5 Observables ................................................ 164
6 On to Heligoland............................................ 165
References ..................................................... 166
The Highest Energy Particles in Nature:
What We Know and What the Future Holds
Alan A. Watson ................................................ 167
1 Introduction ................................................ 167
2 Measurement of UHECR ..................................... 168
3 The Energy Spectrum, Arrival Direction Distribution
and Mass of UHECRs........................................ 169
4 Theoretical Interpretations ................................... 174
5 Detectors of the Future ...................................... 176
6 Conclusions................................................. 179
References ..................................................... 180
Part III
Appendix
Biographical Notes on Werner Heisenberg
Helmut Rechenberg .............................................. 183
List of Contributors .......................................... 189
PartI
CommemorativeMeeting