Supported by "Classical Lattice Field Theory", a Special Programme Grant of the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council.

The dynamics of phase transitions, the transition from the inflationary to Big Bang eras, and the study of solitons and other extended objects in field theory and M-theory, all require classical or quasi-classical field theory; most of the time progress requires numerical methods. A recurrent theme is non-linearity, often in the form of solitons and other topological defects, spanning many areas of physics: from particle and nuclear physics, through condensed matter physics to cosmology.

This interdisciplinary meeting aims to bring together some of the world's leading researchers in a variety of fields, inspired by a common approach to fundamental questions including ...

Dynamics of phase transitions and defect networks:

Can there be baryon number generation at the electroweak transition?
What are the signals of the Quark-Gluon plasma?
How do topological defects form, and how do they decay?
How do networks of defects evolve and how does self-similarity emerge?

Classical field theory in inflation and extra dimensions:

How can we draw physical conclusions from classical solutions in quantum field theory?
How does the inflationary era turn into the hot big bang?
How do fields evolve in cosmological models with extra dimensions?

Solitons in Condensed Matter, Nuclear and Particle Physics:

What is the connection between solitons in condensed matter (e.g. superconductors, superfluids and the quantum Hall effect) and those in nuclear and particle physics?
What do Skyrmions tell us about nuclear forces and structure?
Can we describe the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates?
What do the dynamics of monopoles tell us about the structure of field theories?

The workshop programme aims to maximise opportunities for interactions between all participants, with relatively short invited contributions leaving plenty of time for questions and further discussion. A preliminary schedule will soon be available on the Programme page. The meeting will begin after lunch on Monday 3rd July and end with lunch on Thursday 6th July 2006.

Confirmed speakers

Gert Aarts (Swansea) Classical and quantum fields out of equilibrium and the 2PI effective action
Juan Garcia-Bellido (Madrid) Electroweak preheating and primordial magnetic fields
Lev Kofman (CITA) Preheating and inflation
Tuomas Lappi (Brookhaven) Classical chromodynamics and heavy ion phenomenology
Nicholas Manton (Cambridge) Skyrmions and nuclei
Guy Moore (McGill) Numerical studies of quark-gluon plasma instabilities
Antti Niemi (Uppsala) Separation between the spin and the charge, conformally flat space-times and Yang-Mills theory
Ken Olum (Tufts) Cosmic strings on and off the lattice
Jan Smit (Amsterdam) Classical approximation to quantum fields
Horace Stoica (McGill) Brane decay and defect formation
Richard Ward (Durham) Generalised Skyrmions and Hopf solitons
Wojciech Zurek (Los Alamos) Topological defect formation and dynamics of 2nd order phase transitions

Short talks

Richard Battye (Manchester) Domain wall lattices
Arjun Berera (Edinburgh) Dissipative mechanisms during inflation
Peter Forgacs (Tours) Twisted Vortices in Extended Abelian Higgs Models
Simon Gardiner (Durham) Collision dynamics of attractively interacting matter-wave solitons
Gary Gibbons (Cambridge) Higher-dimensional gravitational solitons
Bernard Piette (Durham) Solitons in inhomogeneous media
Arttu Rajantie (Nottingham) Defects in the 2PI-formalism
Janne Ruostekoski (Southampton) Particle-like solitons in atomic multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates
Paul Saffin (Nottingham) Evolution of D- and F-strings
Paul Sutcliffe (Kent) Hopf solitons in ferromagnets
Martin Speight (Leeds) Fermionic quantization of Faddeev-Hopf solitons
Michael Volkov (Tours) Superconducting Vortices in Standard Model

A limited number of short talk slots are available for participants. Alternatively, participants are encouraged to bring posters to display during the meeting.

The workshop venue is the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the award-winning buildings that have housed the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics since 2000. With its excellent facilities and good transport connections to international airports, the CMS has an excellent track record hosting international conferences. Talks will take place in the main lecture hall (MR2) with lunches served upstairs in the central core (pictured right), a pleasant setting for research interactions. Workshop participants will be housed nearby in a modern Cambridge college, Robinson College. For local maps and further information refer to the Location page, while transport instructions can be found under Travel.

Steering Committee:

This meeting is largely sponsored by a Special Programme Grant entitled "Classical Lattice Field Theory" awarded by the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (please refer to the CLFT homepage). Five UK institutions hold linked SPG grants and the investigators include:

Sussex University: Mark Hindmarsh, Andrew Liddle
University of Cambridge: Paul Shellard
University of Durham: W.J. Zakrzewski, Richard Ward, Bernard Piette
University of Kent: Paul Sutcliffe
University of Manchester: Richard Battye, Niels Walet

Further named investigators at other UK institutions include:

Nottingham University: Ed Copeland, Paul Saffin
Imperial College: Arttu Rajantie
University of Swansea: Gert Aarts

Local Organising Committee:

The local organising committee for this meeting consists of Paul Shellard and Anders Tranberg (whose emails are respectively epss and at406 at damtp.cam.ac.uk). The workshop email is CFT_workshop at damtp.cam.ac.uk

Workshop secretary:

Cheryl Billington,
DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences,
University of Cambridge,
Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WA, UK
Telephone: +44 1223 764267 / 766883 (fax).
Email: C.Billington 'at' amtp.cam.ac.uk

The registration form and other details can be found on the registration page.