PIRSA:26040090

Reflections of Symmetry: Defects, Anomalies, and Unusual Scattering

Antinucci, A. (2026). Reflections of Symmetry: Defects, Anomalies, and Unusual Scattering. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/26040090

Antinucci, Andrea. Reflections of Symmetry: Defects, Anomalies, and Unusual Scattering. Perimeter Institute, Apr. 01, 2026, https://pirsa.org/26040090 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:26040090,
            doi = {10.48660/26040090},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/26040090},
            author = {Antinucci, Andrea},
            keywords = {Quantum Fields and Strings},
            language = {en},
            title = {Reflections of Symmetry: Defects, Anomalies, and Unusual Scattering},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2026},
            month = {apr},
            note = {PIRSA:26040090 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Andrea Antinucci University of Oxford

Talk numberPIRSA:26040090
DOI10.48660/26040090
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

Defects and boundaries play an important role in a wide range of physical contexts, from particle physics to critical phenomena. In this talk, I will discuss how bulk symmetries can be realized in subtle ways in the presence of such impurities, introducing the concepts of symmetry reflecting defects and defect anomalies. I will focus on two main applications. First, I will demonstrate how these symmetry considerations can impose strong constraints on the long-distance dynamics. Second, I will show how they provide a natural explanation for scattering processes whose outgoing states appear to carry unusual quantum numbers. These phenomena can be understood and systematically predicted from topological considerations, in a variety of examples including massive theories.