Exploring resemblance between liquid crystals topological defects and particle physics

Abstract: There are experimentally observed long-range e.g. Coulomb-like interactions for topological defects in liquid crystals, suggesting investigation how far can we take this resemblance with particle physics. I will discuss postulating skyrmion-like Lagrangian to get electromagnetism for their effective dynamics, interpreting filed curvature as electric field - making Gauss law count (quantized) topological charge. For biaxial nematic - with 3 distinguished axes, hedgehogs of one of 3 axes are different mass realizations of the same topological charge - resembling 3 leptons. Further baryon-like topological structures require charge, which has to be compensated for neutron - suggesting why it is heavier than proton. For analog of quantum phase there is derived Klein-Gordon-like equation

mathematical physicsgeneral physicsquantum physics

Audience: general audience

( paper | slides )

---

QM Foundations & Nature of Time seminar

Series comments: Description: Physics foundations discussion seminar

Current access link in th.if.uj.edu.pl/~dudaj/QMFNoT

---