Broken Higher-Form Symmetries in Particle Physics: Applications and Implications

Join Professor Nathaniel Craig from the University of California - Santa Barbara for an engaging physics seminar exploring the fascinating world of broken higher-form symmetries in particle physics. Delve into the emerging applications of generalized symmetries across high energy, condensed matter, and mathematical physics domains. Examine two key examples that demonstrate how broken higher-form symmetries illuminate particle physics phenomena: the quality problem in extra-dimensional axions and quantum violation of baryon number in classically baryon-conserving unified theories. Discover the astrophysical and cosmological implications of these concepts in this accessible 73-minute presentation, designed for both newcomers and experts, with no prior knowledge of generalized symmetries required.