Surveys in Differential Geometry

Volume 15 (2010)

A shifted view of fundamental physics

Pages: 1 – 16

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4310/SDG.2010.v15.n1.a1

Authors

Michael Atiyah (School of Mathematics, JCMB, Edinburgh, Scotland)

Gregory W. Moore (Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, N.J., U.S.A.)

Abstract

We speculate on the role of relativistic versions of delayed differential equations in fundamental physics. Relativistic invariance implies that we must consider both advanced and retarded terms in the equations, so we refer to them as shifted equations. The shifted Dirac equation has some novel properties. A tentative formulation of shifted Einstein-Maxwell equations naturally incorporates a small but nonzero cosmological constant.

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Published 1 January 2010