Any active physics research fields which do not depend much on experiments [Archive]

ieee std

Oct26-04, 12:56 PM

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no, location=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no ,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>Folks:\n\nCan anyone suggest any active physics research fields which do not\ndepend much on experiments ?\n\nPlease do not say theoretical physics, because majority of theoretical\nphysics still heavily depends on experiment data (such as high energy\nphysics or condensed matter theory ). Please also do not say\nmathematical physics, which is almost a branch of math.\n\nI understand that physics is based on experimental data, I just want\nto find a field which is loosely coupled with experimental data.\n\nThank you.\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>Folks:

Can anyone suggest any active physics research fields which do not
depend much on experiments ?

Please do not say theoretical physics, because majority of theoretical
physics still heavily depends on experiment data (such as high energy
physics or condensed matter theory ). Please also do not say
mathematical physics, which is almost a branch of math.

I understand that physics is based on experimental data, I just want
to find a field which is loosely coupled with experimental data.

Thank you.

mathman

Oct28-04, 01:28 PM

What you seem to be looking for has to be a branch of theoretical physics. The most active, particularly with little experimental work, is string theory or M-theory. An alternative approach to the problem of unification is loop quantum gravity. Supersymmetry, which is a stepping stone to these, is another one.

In astrophysics, questions such as what is dark energy and what is dark matter would also satisfy your requirement.

p.kinsler@imperial.ac.uk

Nov3-04, 09:58 AM

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no, location=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no ,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>ieee std <ieeestd802@yahoo.com> wrote:\n> Can anyone suggest any active physics research fields which do not\n> depend much on experiments ?\n\n> Please do not say theoretical physics, because majority of theoretical\n> physics still heavily depends on experiment data (such as high energy\n> physics or condensed matter theory ). Please also do not say\n> mathematical physics, which is almost a branch of math.\n\n> I understand that physics is based on experimental data, I just want\n> to find a field which is loosely coupled with experimental data.\n\nJust about all the theoretical physics I\'ve done in my career is\nloosely coupled with experimental data. I look for interesting\nphysics which is not too far from experiment, or I look at\nidealised versions of experiments. In semiconductors, I built and\nsimulated theoretical and computer models of carrier dynamics in\nsemiconductor microstructures -- but I only took experiments into\naccount in the sense of not making them too unrealistic. Amongst\nother thingsm, I\'m currently modelling some wideband raman generation\nexperiments here at IC, but although I talk to the experimentalists\na reasonable amount, I only try to match general properties of their\nexperiemnts -- I\'m not into detailed experimental models.\n\nThere is a vast array of active physics research fields which\ntry to look at interesting phenomena and ideas while not being\ntoo-far from (or too close to) potential experiments. You don\'t\nhave to resort to M-theory!\n\nYou\'ll have to narrow down your interests. What sort of field might\nyou be interested in, if only it wasn\'t too tied to experiments?\n\n--\n---------------------------------+---------------------------------\nDr. Paul Kinsler\nBlackett Laboratory (QOLS) (ph) +44-20-759-47520 (fax) 47714\nImperial College London, Dr.Paul.Kinsler@physics.org\nSW7 2BW, United Kingdom. http://www.qols.ph.ic.ac.uk/~kinsle/\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>ieee std <ieeestd802@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Can anyone suggest any active physics research fields which do not
> depend much on experiments ?

> Please do not say theoretical physics, because majority of theoretical
> physics still heavily depends on experiment data (such as high energy
> physics or condensed matter theory ). Please also do not say
> mathematical physics, which is almost a branch of math.

> I understand that physics is based on experimental data, I just want
> to find a field which is loosely coupled with experimental data.

Just about all the theoretical physics I've done in my career is
loosely coupled with experimental data. I look for interesting
physics which is not too far from experiment, or I look at
idealised versions of experiments. In semiconductors, I built and
simulated theoretical and computer models of carrier dynamics in
semiconductor microstructures -- but I only took experiments into
account in the sense of not making them too unrealistic. Amongst
other thingsm, I'm currently modelling some wideband raman generation
experiments here at IC, but although I talk to the experimentalists
a reasonable amount, I only try to match general properties of their
experiemnts -- I'm not into detailed experimental models.

There is a vast array of active physics research fields which
try to look at interesting phenomena and ideas while not being
too-far from (or too close to) potential experiments. You don't
have to resort to M-theory!

You'll have to narrow down your interests. What sort of field might
you be interested in, if only it wasn't too tied to experiments?

--
---------------------------------+---------------------------------
Dr. Paul Kinsler
Blackett Laboratory (QOLS) (ph) +44-20-759-47520 (fax) 47714
Imperial College London, Dr.Paul.Kinsler@physics.org
SW7 2BW, United Kingdom. http://www.qols.ph.ic.ac.uk/~kinsle/