Contact
Name
Jan Govaerts
Position
Professor
Email
Jan.Govaertclouvain.be
Address
Center for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology - CP3
Université Catholique de Louvain
2, Chemin du Cyclotron - Box L7.01.05
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Belgium
Phone
+32 10 47 3226
Office
E.252
UCL member card
Teaching
Physique générale 1
Formation aux principes de base de la mécanique de Newton et de la relativité restreinte
PHY1111 (45h + 45h; shared with D. Favart and V. Lemaitre)
Physique générale 2
Formation aux principes de base des lois de l'électricité et du magnétisme, de la physique des ondes, et de l'optique
PHY1112 (45h + 45h; shared with V. Lemaitre)
Physique générale 3
Poursuit la formation en physique générale des cours PHY 1111 et PHY 1112, pour les lois de Maxwell de l'électromagnétisme et les phénomènes ondulatoires classiques
PHY1211 (30h + 30h; shared with D. Favart and F. Maltoni)
Special Relativity
Introduction to covariant kinematics, dynamics and classical electromagnetism in Minkowski space-time
PHY1223 (22.5h + 15h; shared with J.-M. Gérard)
Quantum Field Theory II
Introduction to the field quantisation, perturbation theory and renormalisation in relativistic quantum field theories
PHY2122 (30h)
Thesis Tutorial
PHY2998 (15h; in collaboration with Mrs Annick Mercier-Sonck)
People responsibilities
PhD students
Daddy Balondo Iyela (UCL), member since January 2011
Integrable quantum dynamics, Klauder-Daubechies deformations and noncommutative geometric structures.

Michaël Fanuel (FNRS), member since October 2009
Nonperturbative Dynamics in Gauge Theories.

Simone Zonetti (IISN), member since October 2008
Interested in Quantum Gravity and QFTs, in particular calculation of the contributions of the gravitational sector to the cosmological constant in D+1 dimensions and the problem of time.

Master students
Nicolas Giard, member since September 2010
Dynamical symmetry, spectrum generating algebra and supersymmetrisation of the integrable monopole-Coulomb problem, a path towards space noncommutativity in three dimensions.

Martial Didier Yangoufolo Malessabo, member since November 2009
Study of the construction of a Grassmann graded *-product for the N=1 supersymmetric Moyal-Voros non-(anti)commutative plane.

People Responsibilities outside CP3
Ph.D. Students
Daddy Balondo Iyela
(Since November 2008, UCL and ICMPA-UNESCO, UAC, Cotonou, Benin)
Deformations of Quantum Mechanics and Spacetime Singularities in Quantum Gravity
Anselme Dossa
(Since November 2008, IMSP, UAC, Cotonou, Benin)
Savvidy's tensor theories of generalised quantum electrodynamics in 1+1 dimensions
Research statement

  • Nonperturbative gauge dynamics, geometry and topology
  • Noncommutative, fuzzy and quantum geometries, and quantum gravitation
  • Particle physics and the unifications of all fundamental quantum interactions inclusive of gravity
  • Collective quantum phenomena in condensed matter physics (superconductivity)
  • Theoretical and mathematical physics

    As a driving motivation, our research activities aim to address some of the basic issues remaining open in the present day gauge theories of the fundamental quantum interactions and their matter couplings.

    On the one hand, for well accepted theories a solid understanding of their nonperturbative dynamics remains largely wanting. Undoubtedly, topological and geometrical properties in field space in relation to large gauge symmetries play crucial roles in this respect, to which perturbative gauge fixing procedures remain totally oblivious. A significant component of our research efforts addresses such issues within lower dimensional gauge theories or abelian gauge theories from complementary nonperturbative points of view, also unravelling dualities between apparently disconnected theories.

    On the other hand, present day gauge theories of the fundamental quantum interactions present their own challenges pointing towards new fundamental conceptual paradigms beyond quantum physics and gravity. Some of the exploratory paths being trodden are deformations of quantum mechanics, noncommutative or fuzzy spacetime geometries, and topological theories for pure quantum gravity, being applied in a variety of physical circumstances.

    Yet in relation to the above, some interests in particle phenomenology are also being pursued, mostly centered on the electromagnetic properties of neutrinos in as many varied physical contexts as possible.

    Finally, progress in nonperturbative dynamics of gauge theories has often exploited advances made in condensed matter physics.Collective phenomena in lower dimensional fermionic systems display a variety of behaviours, remaining also largely not yet understood, which may well prove relevant to nonperturbative gauge dynamics alike. Hence a modest part of research activities addresses such issues as well, in particular within the context of the different phenomena of superconductivity.
Projects
I am involved in the following research direction:

Gauge Phase Space Symmetries and Their Interactions

The potential of gauging phase space dynamical symmetries as a principle for generating interactions is explored

Integrable quantum dynamics, Klauder-Daubechies deformations and noncommutative geometric structures.

Combining complementary approaches to quantisation, exploration of integrability issues in quantum dynamics and noncommutative geometric structures

External collaborators: M. Norbert Hounkonnou (ICMPA-UNESCO Chair, UAC, Benin) Calvin Matondo Bwayi (UNIKIN, DRC).

Non-commutative quantum dynamics and supersymmetry

Extensions to the supersymmetric context of the Moyal non-commutative plane are being considered from different perspectives.

Non-perturbative dynamics of QED in low dimensions

By emphasizing the relevance of topology in nonperturbative gauge dynamics in the presence of nontrivial space(time) topology, develop gauge invariant physical tools to approach the nonperturbative dynamics of such systems in approximation schemes. In an initial study, QED in lower dimensions is considered in detail.

Nonperturbative quantisation of gauge theories, noncommutative geometry and unification of the fundamental interactions

Development of nonperturbative quantisation techniques of gauge theories (Yang-Mills, topological, gravity) and their application to particle physics and quantum field theory at finite temperature (in particular, within the context of superconductivity).
Exploration of the consequences of noncommutative geometry in the search for the unification of the fundamental interactions (M-theory and superstrings, quantum gravity).

External collaborators: Frederik Scholtz (National Institute for Theoretical Physics, NITheP, South Africa); Hendrik Geyer (Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, STIAS; University of Stellenbosch, South Africa); Fritz Hahne (African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, AIMS, South Africa); M. Norbert Hounkonnou (International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications, ICMPA-UNESCO Chair, Benin); Calvin Matondo Bwayi (University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo); Habatwa Mweene (University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia); John R. Klauder (University of Florida, Gainesville, USA); Chris Hamer (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Peter Jarvis (University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia).

Quantum Gravity and the Cosmological Constant

Quantum diffeomorphic gauge invariance and the total cosmological constant, inclusive of the quantum fluctuations of the gravitational field

Superconductivity in extremal regimes and nanoscopic particle detectors

Theoretical and experimental study of superconductivity in extremal regimes (spatial and temporal, and in the presence
of electric fields), aiming towards the development of nanoscopic particle detectors

External collaborators: Vincent Bayot (CERMIN, UCL).

The Fuzzy Ball

We are beginning to investigate the possibility of using finite sized matrices to describe a non-commutative three dimensional ball.

Topology and Non-Perturbative Gauge Dynamics

The connections between topology in space(time) and in field configuration space and the non-perturbative dynamics of general gauge theories, inclusive of mass generating mechanims, are being studied.


Show past projects.
Internatonial Collaborations

  • National Institute for Theoretical Physics (NITheP, South Africa)
  • Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS, South Africa), Fellow
  • University of Stellenbosch (South Africa)
  • African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS, South Africa)
  • International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA-UNESCO, Benin), ICTP Visiting Professor
  • University of Kinshasa (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)
  • University of Zambia (Lusaka, Zambia)
  • University of Florida (Gainesville, USA)
  • University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia)
  • University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia)
Publications in CP3
Showing 5 publications over 35. Show all publications.
All my publications on SPIRES

2011

Duality between 1+1 dimensional Maxwell-Dilaton gravity and Liouville field theory
Zonetti, Simone and Govaerts, Jan
[Abstract] [PDF] Preprint ICMPA-MPA/014/2011; Published in J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 45 (2012) 042001 (7 pages)
Refereed paper. 8th November.
Dressed Fermions, Modular Transformations and Bosonization in the Compactified Schwinger Model
Fanuel Michael, Govaerts Jan
[Abstract] [PDF] [Journal] Preprint ICMPA-MPA/013/2011; Published in J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 45 (2012) 035401 (26 pages)
Selected for inclusion in IOP Select, http://Select.iop.org

Refereed paper. 25th August.
Quantized cosmological constant in 1+1 dimensional quantum gravity with coupled scalar matter
Jan Govaerts, Simone Zonetti
[Abstract] [PDF] Preprint ICMPA-MPA/005/2011; Published in Class. Quant. Grav. 28 (2011) 185001 (24pp)
Refereed paper. 25th February.

2010

Noncommutative Spherically Symmetric Spaces
Seán Murray, Jan Govaerts
[Abstract] [PDF] Published in Phys. Rev. D83 (2011) 025009 (9 pages), Preprint ICMPA-MPA/021/2010
Refereed paper. 19th August.

2009

Noncommuting Coordinates and Magnetic Monopoles
Jan Govaerts and Seán Murray
[Abstract] [PDF] [Journal] Published as JHEP 01 (2010) 008 (8 pages)
Refereed paper. 22nd October.


[UCLouvain] - [SST] [IRMP] - [SC] [PHYS]
Contact : Vincent Boucher & Jérôme de Favereau
Research
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