Theoretical Physics Colloquium: Black hole scattering, Feynman graph expansions and Calabi-Yau geometries

31 Oct 2025
Seminars and colloquia
Time
Venue
Lindemann Lecture Theatre
Beecroft Building, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU
Speaker(s)

Professor Albrecht Klemm, University of Sheffield

Seminar series
Theoretical physics colloquia

Abstract

Recently Calabi-Yau (CY) periods and their special geometry have been used to solve  the Post-Minkowskian (PM) approximation to black hole scattering in the fifth PM order, i.e. with  very high precision. This approximation uses Quantum Field Theory methods and in particular a Feynman graph expansion and Feynman integrals. In this talk we will outline the idea of the PM approximation and the general principles that explain why the period geometry of  CY manifolds and their iterated periods integrals appear naturally in higher loop Feynman graph approximations to scattering amplitudes in  any perturbative QFT  and related physical problems. We will make a connection to the formalism of topological string theory on families of CY varieties.