The 5th International Symposium on Quantum Theory and Symmetries (QTS5)

Abstract

This special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical andTheoretical appears on the occasion of the 5th InternationalSymposium on Quantum Theory and Symmetries (QTS5), held inValladolid, Spain, from 22–28 July 2007. This is the fith in a seriesof conferences previously held in Goslar (Germany) 1999, QTS1;Cracow (Poland) 2001, QTS2; Cincinnati (USA) 2003, QTS3; and Varna(Bulgaria) 2005, QTS4.The QTS5 symposium gathered 181 participants from 39 countriesworking in different fields of theoretical physics. The spirit ofthe QTS conference series is to join researchers in a wide varietyof topics in theoretical physics, as a way of making accessible recentresults and the new lines of different fields. This is based on thefeeling that it is good for a physicist to have a general overviewas well as expertise in his/her own field. There are many otherconferences devoted to specific topics, which are of interest togain deeper insight in many technical aspects and that are quitesuitable for discussions due to their small size. However, webelieve that general conferences like this are interesting andworth keeping. We like the talks, in both plenary and parallelsessions, which are devoted to specific topics, to be prepared so as to beaccessible to any researcher in any branch of theoretical physics.We think that this objective is compatible with rigour and highstandards. As is well known, similar methods and techniques canbe useful for many problems in different fields. We hope that this has been appreciated during the sessions of the QTS5 conference.The QTS5 conference offered the following list of topics: 1. Symmetries in string theory, quantum gravity and related topics 2. Symmetries in quantum field theories, conformal and related field theories, lattice and noncommutative theories, gauge theories 3.Quantum computing, information and control 4. Foundations of quantum theory 5. Quantum optics, coherent states, Wigner functions 6. Dynamical and integrable systems 7. Symmetries in condensed matter and statistical physics 8. Symmetries in particle physics, nuclear, atomic and molecular physics 9. Nonlinear quantum mechanics 10. Time asymmetric quantum mechanics 11. SUSY quantum mechanics, PT symmetries and pseudo-Hamiltonians 12. Mathematical methods for symmetries and quantum theories 13. Symmetries in chemistry, biology and other sciences Papers accepted for publication in this issue aim toprovide a survey of the state of the art in different fields and containcontributions from plenary speakers. In addition, the issue contains contributions from other participants and it has also been open to other authors whose work fits into the topics of the conference. In any case, all the contributions have been refereed according to the high standards of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical.We are much indebted to several institutions; without theirsupport the organization of the QTS5 symposium would not have beenpossible. In this respect we acknowledge the Ministerio de Educación of Spain and Junta de Castilla y Leónfor general financial support; to FundaciónUniversidades de Castilla y León for a number of grants to youngresearchers who otherwise would not have attended the conference; also to the European Physical Societythat provided a number of grants for eastern countries, and to the University of Valladolid where the event took place. We thank IOP Publishing and the staff of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical for the publication of this special issue.In addition, we want to express our gratitude to other members ofthe Local Organizing Committe of QTS5, who are not Editors of thisspecial issue: Oscar Arratia, Juan A Calzada and Fernando Gómez.Finally, we would like to thank all the participants in the QTS5conference for their presence, contributions, and for the goodatmosphere achieved during their stay. We hope that the experienceof spending these days in Valladolid has been most fruitful for allof them.