Mon, 09 Mar 2009
12:00 -
13:00
L3
The UV question in maximally supersymmetric field theories
Paul Howe
(King's College London)
Abstract
Recent developments in computational techniques have shown that UV divergences can be tested at higher loop orders than is possible using standard Feynman diagrams. The results of these calculations are summarised. It is argued that they do not, as yet, contradict expectations from symmetry arguments. The latter lead to the expectation that D=4, N=8 supergravity is likely to diverge at five loops unless hitherto unknown mechanisms are at work. In the technical part of the talk the role of algebraic renormalisation and cohomological methods is highlighted.