Three Effective Field Theory Vignettes

  • March 24, 2022, 2:30 pm US/Central
  • Timothy Cohen, University of Oregon

I will describe some recent work on applying Effective Field Theory (EFT) methodology to three different physically interesting systems.  First I will explain the philosophy and general methodology of EFT.  I will then present three short vignettes.  The first has to do with techniques for systematically computing the EFT parameters from a given more fundamental description.  The second will show how EFT can be used to understand the behavior of quantum fields in an inflationary background, with applications to light scalar fields and the inflaton itself.  And in the third, I will show how EFT ideas can be applied to systematically improve a numerical technique for quantum field theory known as Hamiltonian truncation.