Working Group Program

ABSTRACTS

The ElectroWeak Symmetry Breaking Working Group will review the current experimental and theoretical status of precision electroweak measurements, Higgs boson physics and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. Results from the current generation of collider experiments will be presented and the physics prospects for future experiments will receive particular attention.The latest theoretical developments will be examined.

Since its first observation in 1964 CP violation has fascinated particle physicists. The phenomenon  has far reaching consequences, for example it is a necessary component in the baryogenesis of our 
universe. The CKM matrix describes CP violation in the weak sector of the Standard Model. Until  the end of the millenium our knowledge of the CKM matrix, responsible for the description of CP  violation in the weak sector of the Standard Model, was rather limited. For example large CP  violation was predicted for the system of neutral B meson but had not been experimentally observed. By now a chain of precise measurement has rectified this situation and we are now in an era of  precision CKM physics. So far none of the measurements disagrees largely with the Standard Model,  although there are some interesting indications and there are new opportunities to come.  Meanwhile theory predictions have become much more precise and new techniques are been  developed to extract the interesting quantities with much reduced uncertainties.

In Working Group 2 of the workshop we want to review the present situation and discuss new  opportunities and their implementation with the main focus on results and opportunities in B physics,  but there are exciting results from Kaon and Charm physics included as well.

Neutrino physics continues to be among the most exciting areas of high energy physics. In  the neutrino physics working group we plan to explore topics  ranging from new theoretical ideas on the origin of neutrino masses,leptonic mixing, new neutrino interactions, and the LSND anomaly, to the
 most recent experimental results. We will also be discussing several of the new plans for probing neutrino oscillation phenomena (including  next-generation reactor, atmospheric, and accelerator experiments) as well as neutrinoless  double beta decay which is arguably the best probe of the validity of lepton number conservation.
 
 We have selected a few comprehensive theoretical and experimental talks, aimed at providing up-to-date information and topics for discussion. While we expect lively and interactive presentations, we have also reserved ample time for concentrated discussion of the topics outline above.

With a substantial increase in cosmological and astrophysical data  being made available now and in the coming decade, the cosmos is now  providing a strong complementary forum to accelerators in which to  investigate particle physics, including neutrinos and, more  generally, the nature of dark matter and the enigmatic dark energy.

This workgroup focuses on the interplay between observations and  current theoretical research in astroparticle physics and cosmology,  with talks and discussion on the following topics:

- high and low energy astrophysical processes, including cosmic rays  and gamma ray astronomy and neutrino production in supernovae
- ground based observation of high and low energy, astrophysical  solar and atmospheric neutrinos
- cosmological progress on the theoretical nature of dark energy and  dark matter
- key cosmological observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background,  weak lensing observations and dark matter detection

Topics in this workgroup cover energy scales over fourteen orders of  magnitude, from the minimum detectable energies of WIMPs and solar pp  neutrinos (~10^4 eV) to astrophysical neutrino and cosmic ray  energies of ~10^18eV!