Volume 392

iTHEMS Weekly News Letter

Upcoming Events

School

New computational methods in quantum field theory 2026

January 26 (Mon) - 28 (Wed) 2026

Recent developments in quantum computers and related theoretical/technical advancements have brought attention to "new computational methods in quantum field theory" in the fields of high energy/nuclear physics.

Main targets of this school are graduate students and postdocs. This school provides opportunities to discuss recent research trends and their applications through lectures by experts and presentations by participants.

Lecturers:
Junichi Haruna (University of Osaka) "Introduction to Quantum Error Correction (tentative)"
Yoshimasa Hidaka (Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics/RIKEN iTHEMS) “Introduction to Hamiltonian Lattice Gauge Theory (tentative)”
Tokiro Numasawa (University of Tokyo) "Open Majorana system (tentative)"

Venue: #435-437, 4F, Main Research Building, RIKEN Wako Campus

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

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DEEP-IN Seminar

DEEP-IN-iPI Joint Meeting

January 26 (Mon) - 30 (Fri) 2026

Xingyu Guo (Lecturer, Institute of Quantum Matter, South China Normal University, China)
Gert Aarts (Professor, Department of Physics, Swansea University, UK)
Shuzhe Shi (Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China)
Sung Hak Lim (Senior Researcher, Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe (CTPU-PTC), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Republic of Korea)
Jinyang Li (Ph.D. Student, Program of Particle and Nuclear Physics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI))
Yingying Xu (Research fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Finland)

The series of DEEP-IN meetings (Jan 26–30, 2026) are joint with UTokyo Institute for Physics of Intelligence (iπ), which is a multi-day scientific program bringing together researchers to explore quantum simulations, machine learning physics, and applications in particle and nuclear physics.

The tentative schedule is,
UTokyo-iπ Session (Venue: #512, Faculty of Science Bldg.1, School of Science, UTokyo)

Day 1: Jan 26 (Mon)
14:30–16:00 Onset of Bjorken flow in a quantum many-body simulation of the massive Schwinger model, Shuzhe Shi
Day 2: Jan 27 (Tue)
14:30–16:00 Physics of Diffusion Models, Gert Aarts
16:00–17:30 Discovering Symmetry from Energy-Based Diffusion Models, Jinyang Li

RIKEN-iTHEMS Session (Venue: Seminar Room #359, Main Research Building)

Day 3: Jan 28 (Wed)
14:30–16:00 Understanding Galactic Dark Matter with Generative Models, Sung Hak Lim
16:00–18:00 Free Discussion ML Physics-1
Day 4: Jan 29 (Thu)
10:00–11:30 Quantum Simulations of HEP and Beyond, Xingyu Guo
14:30–16:00 Physics of Machine Learning, Gert Aarts
16:00–17:30 Storage capacity of perceptron with variable selection, Yingying Xu

Day 5: Jan 30 (Fri)
11:00–14:00: Free Discussion ML Physics-2

Venue: via Zoom / Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN / Faculty of Science Bldg.1, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

iTHEMS Cosmology Forum n°5 - Effective Field Theory approaches across the Universe

January 29 (Thu) 10:00 - 17:00, 2026

Katsuki Aoki (Research Assistant Professor, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University)
Toshifumi Noumi (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo)
Lucas Pinol (CNRS Researcher, Laboratoire de Physique de l’École Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS/École Normale Supérieure, France)

This fifth workshop will bring together researchers exploring the effective field theory (EFT) framework in diverse cosmological contexts. Topics will include EFT formulations of interacting dark matter and dark energy, open EFTs for gravity, and multi-field inflationary dynamics. By highlighting recent progress and open questions, the workshop seeks to bridge insights from the early and late universe through the unifying language of EFT. In addition to the invited talks, the workshop will feature a panel discussion designed to promote interaction between the speakers and participants.

One of the key goals of this event is to foster collaboration among researchers working in neighboring fields, and to encourage participation from young and early-career researchers who are interested in, but may not yet have worked on, these themes. The workshop welcomes a broad audience with an interest in theoretical cosmology, gravitation, and quantum field theory.

The workshops are organised by the Cosmology Study Group at RIKEN iTHEMS.

Venue: Okochi Hall, 1F Laser Science Laboratory, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

Cosmology Group Seminar

Gauge fixing for open systems: A pathway to open gravity EFTs

January 30 (Fri) 14:00 - 16:00, 2026

Maria Mylova (Project Researcher, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU))

Understanding how to gauge-fix open quantum field theories is essential for building consistent open frameworks for cosmology and gravity, where gauge symmetry must coexist with dissipation and noise and decoherence. I will present our recent work developing explicit top-down constructions of open effective field theories (EFTs) for gauge degrees of freedom, with particular emphasis on the role of gauge fixing. We implement BRST quantisation on the Schwinger-Keldysh contour and show that the in-in boundary conditions reduce the doubled global BRST symmetry to a single diagonal copy. This diagonal BRST symmetry is nevertheless sufficient to guarantee that the influence functional remains gauge invariant under two independent gauge transformations, retarded and advanced, independently of the choice of initial state, the presence of symmetry-breaking phases, and whether the gauge theory is Abelian or non-Abelian. We further clarify how this is compatible with the decoupling limit, in which the global advanced symmetry is generically broken by the state. I will conclude by outlining bottom-up implications, and how these principles provide a systematic route to causal, gauge-invariant open EFTs suitable for cosmological and gravitational applications.

Venue: #445-447, 4F (Hybrid), Main Research Building, RIKEN Wako Campus

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

International Workshop on Quantum Geometry

February 3 (Tue) - 6 (Fri) 2026

In recent years, quantum geometry has attracted a renewed interest as an important concept in physics, and is being actively studied in a wide variety of fields ranging from condensed matter physics to high-energy physics. This international workshop aims to invite researchers actively working at the forefront of quantum geometry research and hold intensive discussions, thereby providing an opportunity to facilitate mutual interaction that will lead to future collaborations. The workshop will cover a wide range of topics related to quantum geometry, as in condensed matter physics, AMO physics, quantum gravity, quantum information, etc.

Venue: 1F, Lecture Room #112, Information Science Bldg. (C43) / Satellite : 4F, "Common Space" of FQSP, Information Science Bldg.(C43)

Register: Event registration form

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

RIKEN Quantum Seminar

From Wavefunction Sparsity to Quantum Filter-Assisted Subspace Diagonalization

February 4 (Wed) 13:00 - 14:30, 2026

Han Xu (Postdoctoral Researcher, Computational Materials Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS))

Subspace diagonalization techniques based on quantum sampling, such as quantum selected configuration interaction (QSCI) and sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD), are a class of quantum-centric algorithms for approximating ground-state energies of many-body systems. One of the foundational bottlenecks for SQD is due to the lack of compactness of the ground-state wavefunctions. In this talk, we will introduce a filter-assisted SQD protocol that enhances the wavefunction sparsity through a quantum-circuit transformation of the Hamiltonian. Using the Gini coefficient as a robust sparsity measure, we clarify how sparsity determines the resource requirements of SQD. To construct the quantum filter, we develop a tensor-network-based automatic circuit-encoding algorithm that encodes the target matrix product states with controllable fidelity. We benchmark the method on the quantum Ising model under the transverse and longitudinal fields, using both numerical simulations and experiments on IBM quantum hardware. Our results show that the filter-assisted protocol reduces energy-estimation errors by orders of magnitude and substantially lowers the overhead of measurement compared with standard SQD, which highlight the potential of filter-assisted protocol in quantum-centric computing for strongly correlated materials.

Venue: via Zoom / Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

RIKEN Quantum Seminar

Scalable Simulation of Quantum Many-Body Dynamics with Or-Represented Quantum Algebra

February 4 (Wed) 14:30 - 16:00, 2026

Lukas Broers (Postdoctoral Researcher, Computational Materials Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS))

High-performance numerical methods are essential for advancing quantum many-body physics, as well as for enabling the integration of supercomputers with emerging quantum computing platforms. We have developed a scalable and general-purpose numerical framework for quantum simulations based on or-represented quantum algebra (ORQA). This framework applies to arbitrary spin-systems and naturally integrates with quantum circuit simulation in the Heisenberg picture, particularly relevant to recent large-scale experiments on superconducting qubit processors [Kim et al., Nature 618, 500 (2023)]. As a benchmark, we simulate the kicked Ising model on a 127-qubit heavy-hexagon lattice, successfully tracking the time-evolution of local magnetization using up to one trillion Pauli strings. Our simulations exhibit strong scaling up to 2^17 parallel processes with near-linear communication overhead. Further, we show that our framework is naturally extended to a broader range of quantum systems, superseding the capabilities of recently established Pauli propagation methods. We present possible future directions on how to utilize our algorithm.

Venue: via Zoom / Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Others

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Mathematical Application Research Team Meeting #12

February 6 (Fri) 14:00 - 15:30, 2026

Riccardo Muolo (Special Postdoctoral Researcher, Division of Fundamental Mathematical Science, RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS))

Mathematical Application Research Team invites Riccardo Muolo fom Division of Fundamental Mathematical Science to this meeting. You are welcome to join the meeting.

Title: Dynamics beyond nodes: a topological framework for oscillatory dynamics on higher-order networks

Abstract: In recent years, increasing attention has been given to dynamical processes taking place on higher-order networks, where interactions are not limited to links, but may involve also higher-dimensional simplices [1]. While classical network models assume that state variables live on nodes and interact through links, many real systems — including brain, climate, and transportation systems — cannot be fully described within this node-centric perspective [2]. In this seminar, I will introduce the framework of higher-order networks and the concept of topological signals, namely, dynamical variables defined on simplices of higher dimensions. I will briefly present the basic tools required for this setting, including elementary notions of discrete calculus, discrete topology and geometric algebra, which serve as the mathematical foundation for modeling dynamical processes beyond the node-based paradigm.
Next, I will discuss models of oscillatory dynamics extended to this framework. First, I will present the topological Kuramoto model [3], in which phases are not restricted to nodes but may also be associated with links, and where the coupling arises from the combinatorial structure of the simplicial complex. Then, I will introduce the discrete Hodge Laplacian and the Dirac-Bianconi operator [4], the former generalizing diffusive interactions to the higher-order setting, while the latter provides cross-talk between signals defined on simplices of different dimensions. Finally, I will introduce the notion of Dirac-Bianconi driven oscillators, where the dynamics of node- and link-signals coexist, interact and may give rise to collective oscillatory behaviors [5].

References

  1. Ginestra Bianconi, Higher‑Order Networks: An Introduction to Simplicial Complexes. Elements in the Structure and Dynamics of Complex Networks, Cambridge University Press (2021), doi: 10.1017/9781108770996
  2. Ana P. Millán, Hanlin Sun, Lorenzo Giambagli, Riccardo Muolo, Timoteo Carletti, Joaquín J. Torres, Filippo Radicchi, Jürgen Kurths & Ginestra Bianconi, Topology shapes dynamics of higher-order networks, Nature Physics volume 21, pages 353–361 (2025), doi: 10.1038/s41567-024-02757-w
  3. Ana P. Millán, Joaquín J. Torres, Ginestra Bianconi, Explosive Higher-Order Kuramoto Dynamics on Simplicial Complexes, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 218301 (2020), doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.218301
  4. Ginestra Bianconi, The topological Dirac equation of networks and simplicial complexes, J. Phys. Complex., 2(3): 035022 (2021), doi: 10.1088/2632-072X/ac19be
  5. Riccardo Muolo, Iván León, Yuzuru Kato, Hiroya Nakao, Synchronization of Dirac-Bianconi driven oscillators, arXiv: 2506.20163

Venue: via Zoom

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

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ABBL-iTHEMS Joint Astro Seminar

What can we learn from kilonovae about nucleosynthesis and high-density matter?

February 9 (Mon) 14:00 - 15:15, 2026

Oliver Just (Postdoctoral Researcher, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Germany)

The electromagnetic transients accompanying neutron-star mergers (NSMs), called kilonovae, are powered by the radioactive decay of freshly synthesized heavy elements. As such they should contain rich information about the ejected matter and the properties of the extremely dense meta-stable neutron-star remnant formed right after the collision. However, extracting such information from observed kilonova light curves and spectra remains a challenging endeavor, which requires sophisticated models of various hydrodynamic processes and neutrino transport effects, detailed knowledge of nuclear and atomic physics, as well as complex radiative transfer calculations. In this talk I will report recent efforts from our "HeavyMetal" collaboration aimed at deciphering kilonovae.

Venue: Hybrid Format (3F #359 and Zoom), Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

iTHEMS Biology Seminar

Monitoring the complexity and dynamics of mitochondrial translation

February 12 (Thu) 16:00 - 17:00, 2026

Taisei Wakigawa (Research Associate, RNA Systems Biochemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI))

Since mitochondrial translation leads to the synthesis of the essential oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) subunits, exhaustive and quantitative delineation of mitoribosome traversal is needed. Here, we developed a variety of high-resolution mitochondrial ribosome profiling derivatives and revealed the intricate regulation of mammalian mitochondrial translation. Harnessing a translation inhibitor, retapamulin, our approach assessed the stoichiometry and kinetics of mitochondrial translation flux, such as the number of mitoribosomes on a transcript, the elongation rate, and the initiation rate. We also surveyed the impacts of modifications at the anticodon stem loop in mitochondrial tRNAs (mt-tRNAs), including all possible modifications at the 34th position, in cells deleting the corresponding enzymes and derived from patients, as well as in mouse tissues. Moreover, a retapamulin-assisted derivative and mito-disome profiling revealed mitochondrial translation initiation factor (mtIF) 3-mediated translation initiation from internal open reading frames (ORFs) and programmed mitoribosome collision sites across the mitochondrial transcriptome. Our work provides a useful platform for investigating protein synthesis within the energy powerhouse of the cell.

Reference

  1. Taisei Wakigawa, Mari Mito, Yushin Ando, Haruna Yamashiro, Kotaro Tomuro, Haruna Tani, Kazuhito Tomizawa, Takeshi Chujo, Asuteka Nagao, Takeo Suzuki, Osamu Nureki, Fan-Yan Wei, Yuichi Shichino, Yuzuru Itoh, Tsutomu Suzuki, Shintaro Iwasaki, Monitoring the complexity and dynamics of mitochondrial translation, Molecular Cell 85, 4279 (2025), doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.10.022

Venue: Hybrid Format (3F #359 and Zoom), Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

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Data Assimilation and Machine Learning

Taming the Butterfly: A New "Duality Principle" Turns Chaos into Control

February 18 (Wed) 13:00 - 14:00, 2026

Takemasa Miyoshi (Team Principal, Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS))

Data Assimilation (DA) is the backbone of modern weather forecasting. It integrates observational data into computer simulations to synchronize the model with nature. The Duality Principle posits that chaos control is mathematically the "twin" (dual) of DA.

Data Assimilation: Uses observations to synchronize the Model to Nature.
Chaos Control: Uses interventions to synchronize Nature to a desired Model ("target trajectory").

"The butterfly effect has long been a symbol of unpredictability," says Dr. Miyoshi. "But I asked a simple question: If a butterfly's wings can change the future, does that not imply that with the right, tiny push, we could choose a better future?"

Instead of suppressing the chaotic system with massive force, this method acts like mathematical judo—leveraging the system's inherent instability. By applying minute, calculated "interventions" (analogous to the butterfly's flap), the system can be guided toward a "target trajectory"—for instance, shifting real-world conditions just enough to align with a model-simulated scenario where a typhoon causes no damage. Once synchronized, control becomes much easier to maintain.

This study establishes the theoretical foundation for "Control Simulation Experiments" (CSE), a framework previously proposed by Miyoshi’s team. It provides a roadmap for future disaster prevention research, moving beyond passive prediction to active mitigation. Beyond meteorology, this general framework is expected to serve as a universal tool for studying interventions in various chaotic systems, from ecosystems to economics.

Following the seminar, we will hold an informal discussion (brainstorming) on data assimilation with quantum computing in the same room from 2-4 pm.

Reference

  1. A duality principle for chaotic systems: from data assimilation to efficient control, Takemasa Miyoshi, Nonlinear Dyn 114, 105 (2026), doi: 10.1007/s11071-025-12021-2

Venue: Hybrid Format (3F #359 and Zoom), Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Internal Meeting

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Brainstorming session on data assimilation with quantum computing

February 18 (Wed) 14:00 - 16:00, 2026

Takemasa Miyoshi (Team Principal, Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS))

We will discuss the potential of quantum computing for applications in data assimilation.

Venue: #359, Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Colloquium

MACS ColloquiumSupported by iTHEMS

The 31th MACS Colloquium & 2025 MACS Achievement Report Meeting

February 18 (Wed) 14:45 - 18:00, 2026

Yujiro Eto (Associate Professor, Center for Science Adventure and Collaborative Research Advancement (SACRA), Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University)

14:45-15:00 Teatime discussion

[15:00-16:00 The 31th MACS Colloquium]
Talk by Dr. Yujiro Eto (Associate Professor, Center for Science Adventure and Collaborative Research Advancement (SACRA), Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University)

[16:10-18:30 2025 MACS Achievement Report Meeting]
16:10-17:10 Flash Talks to report results
17:10-18:00 Poster Session by SG participating students

Venue: Science Seminar House (Map 9), Kyoto University

Event Official Language: Japanese

Seminar

iTHEMS Biology Seminar

The sample complexity of species tree estimation: How many genes does it take to infer a species tree?

February 19 (Thu) 13:00 - 14:00, 2026

Max Hill (Assistant Professor, University of Hawaiʻi, USA)

In this talk, I will discuss the problem of inferring an evolutionary tree from DNA sequence data. The main focus will be on the sample complexity of this problem---i.e., the question of how much data is required to achieve high probability of correct inference. After introducing a standard stochastic model of gene and DNA evolution, I will highlight some surprising features of DNA sequence data that complicate inference. Finally, I will present an impossibility result which takes the form of an information-theoretic lower bound on the minimum amount of data needed for accurate inference when genes exhibit variation in mutation rates. No prior knowledge of phylogenetics or information theory is assumed. Based on joint work with Sebastien Roch.

Venue: Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN / via Zoom

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

Cosmology Group Seminar

Testing the quantum nature of gravity with optomechanical systems

February 26 (Thu) 10:00 - 12:00, 2026

Yuta Michimura (Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo)

Quantum gravity remains one of the major challenges in modern physics. Even at the most fundamental level, there is no experimental confirmation of whether a mass placed in a spatial superposition generates a corresponding superposition of gravitational fields. In recent years, experiments aiming to create gravity-induced quantum entanglement have attracted significant attention as a way to probe the quantum nature of non-relativistic gravity. In particular, optomechanical systems, which exploit the interaction between light and mechanical oscillators, provide a promising platform for such studies. We are pursuing experiments at the milligram scale, which lies between the smallest mass scale at which classical gravity has been tested and the largest mass scale at which quantum states of mechanical oscillators have been realized [1]. In this seminar, I will discuss experimental approaches to testing the quantum nature of gravity using suspended and levitated mirrors. I will also discuss our recent proposal to use inverted oscillators to enhance gravity-induced entanglement exponentially [2].

References

  1. Yuta Michimura, Kentaro Komori, Quantum sensing with milligram scale optomechanical systems, The European Physical Journal D 74, 126 (2020), arXiv: 2003.13906
  2. Tomohiro Fujita, Youka Kaku, Akira Matsumura, Yuta Michimura, Inverted Oscillators for Testing Gravity-induced Quantum Entanglement, Classical and Quantum Gravity 42, 165003 (2025), arXiv: 2308.14552

Venue: Hybrid Format (3F #359 and Zoom), Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

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iTHEMS Seminar

The career talk: From Quarks to Cinematic Sparks

February 27 (Fri) 15:00 - 16:30, 2026

Agnes Mocsy (Professor, Department of Mathematics and Science, Pratt Institute, USA)

While my career began in a linear way, it gradually opened into a non-traditional path through unexpected mergings, where theoretical nuclear physics, filmmaking, and creative public and academic engagement intertwined. I will share how scientific inquiry, artistic practice, and storytelling began shaping one another, opening new ways to explore complexity, emotion, and connection. Drawing on work from my physics research to cinema projects like Rare Connections, I will reflect on how curiosity and creative thinking move freely across science and art, deepening each and expanding how we understand the human experience. My aim is to offer a perspective on the possibilities that emerge when we allow our multitudes to meet and transform one another.

Venue: Hybrid Format (3F #359 and Zoom), Seminar Room #359, 3F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Register: Zoom registration form

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

Integrated Innovation Building (IIB) venue photo

RIKEN iTHEMS-Kyoto University joint workshop on Asymptotics in Astrophysics and Cosmology

March 2 (Mon) - 4 (Wed) 2026

This joint workshop will bring together physicists and mathematicians who work with asymptotics and perturbation theory techniques. This includes theorists in cosmology, high energy physics, quantum gravity, solar physics, astrophysics.

Workshop overview
Over three days, there will be approximately 15 invited (1 hour slot) or contributed (20-30 min slot) talks about:
Fundamental asymptotics and perturbation theory techniques used in theoretical physics. Various applications of asymptotics and perturbation theory techniques in (wave transport or oscillation related) astrophysics and cosmology eigenvalue problems.

The workshop will also feature hands-on Mathematica and Python tutorials introducing:
Practical use of WKB methods in applied mathematics for any “Schrodinger-like” wave equations, Resummation methods in high energy theory, Deriving normal modes in stars, and their application to tidal evolution in binary star or planet systems, Eigenvalue problems in core collapse supernova theory.

Venue: 8F, Integrated Innovation Building (IIB), Kobe Campus, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

KEK-iTHEMS Workshop “Concepts of Quantum and Spacetime”

March 9 (Mon) - 12 (Thu) 2026

The two fundamental questions—“What is quantum?” and “What is spacetime?”—are deeply intertwined. On one hand, the formulation and interpretation of quantum theory depend both implicitly and explicitly on our conceptions of time and space. On the other hand, we believe that fully taking into account the quantum character of nature will force us to revise our understanding of spacetime. These two conceptual problems lie at the heart of the unsolved challenge of how to quantize classical spacetime, and conversely, how (semi-) classical descriptions of spacetime emerge from quantum theory. Furthermore, if the entire matter-spacetime system is a kind of quantum many-body system, thermodynamics—which governs its statistical behaviors—should play a key role in elucidating these problems.

This workshop will discuss the question “How can quantum theory and spacetime be understood in a consistent manner?” from a fundamental and broad perspective. To tackle this challenge, we gather researchers in foundations of quantum theory, quantum gravity, and related fields from around the world, providing a "space and time" to share various ideas with open minds and engage in lively discussions. By exploring new concepts and principles, we hope to uncover directions to guide quantum theory over the next 100 years.

This workshop covers…

Foundations of quantum theory
Quantum gravity and emergence of spacetime
Formulation of semi-classical gravity
Experimental aspects of fundamental properties in nature and quantum gravity
Foundations of quantum many-body systems and thermodynamics
Other related topics are welcome.

We welcome short talk presentations and poster presentations.

This event is a workshop jointly organized by KEK Theory Center and RIKEN iTHEMS.

Venue: Seminar Hall, Building 3, KEK

Register: Event registration form

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

Perspectives and applications of Koopman Operator Theory

March 19 (Thu) 9:00 - 18:00, 2026

Yoshihiko Susuki (Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University)
Hiroya Nakao (Professor, Department of Systems and Control Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo)
Alexandre Mauroy (Associate Professor, Mathematics, University of Namur, Belgium)
Yuzuru Kato (Associate Professor, Department of Complex and Intelligent Systems, School of Systems Information Science, Future University-Hakodate)

Venue: Room 535-537, 5F, Main Research Building, RIKEN Wako Campus

Register: Event registration form / Zoom registration form

Event Official Language: English

Seminar

ABBL-iTHEMS Joint Astro Seminar

Clumpy Outflows from Super-Eddington Accreting Black Holes

April 10 (Fri) 14:00 - 15:15, 2026

Haojie Hu (JSPS Research Fellow, University of Tsukuba)

Recent advances in X-ray spectroscopic observation have enabled researchers to reveal distinct clumpy structures in the super-Eddington outflows from the supermassive black hole in PDS 456 (XRISM Collaboration 2025), initiating detailed investigation of fine-scale structures in accretion-driven outflows. In this talk, I will introduce our high-resolution, two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics simulations with time-varying and anisotropic initial and boundary conditions that reproduce clumpy outflows from super-Eddington accretion flows. The resulting clumpy outflows extend across a wide range of radial distances and polar angles, exhibiting typical properties such as a size of ~10 rg (where rg is the gravitational radius), a velocity of ~0.05–0.2 c (where c is the speed of light), and about five clumps along the line of sight. Although the velocities are slightly smaller, these characteristics reasonably resemble those obtained from the XRISM observation. The gas density of the clumps is on the order of 10^-13–10^-12 g cm^-3, and their optical depth for electron scattering is approximately 1–10. The clumpy winds accelerated by radiation force are considered to originate from the region within <300 rg.

Venue: #220, 2F, Main Research Building, RIKEN Wako Campus / via Zoom

Event Official Language: English

Upcoming Visitor

January 26 (Mon) - 30 (Fri) 2026

Lucas Pinol

CNRS Researcher, Laboratoire de Physique de l’École Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS/École Normale Supérieure, France

Visiting Place: Main Research Building

Paper of the Week

Week 4, January 2026

2026-01-22

Title: Relic of quadrupole deformation produced in a hot neutron star era
Author: Yasufumi Kojima, Akira Dohi, Shota Kisaka, Kotaro Fujisawa
arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.13550v1

Title: Onset of thermalization of q-deformed SU(2) Yang-Mills theory on a trapped-ion quantum computer
Author: Tomoya Hayata, Yoshimasa Hidaka, Yuta Kikuchi
arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.13530v1

Title: Economic complexity and regional development in India: Insights from a state-industry bipartite network
Author: Joel M Thomas, Abhijit Chakraborty
arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.12356v1

Title: Time delay embeddings to characterize the timbre of musical instruments using Topological Data Analysis: a study on synthetic and real data
Author: Gakusei Sato, Hiroya Nakao, Riccardo Muolo
Journal Reference: Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-026-02132-1

Title: Shadow signatures and energy accumulation in Lorentzian-Euclidean black holes
Author: Emmanuele Battista, Salvatore Capozziello, Che-Yu Chen
arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.10806v1

Title: Insights from the “Women in Evolutionary Biology Workshop” on gender equality in science
Author: Stella Kyomen, Maria Alejandra Ramirez, Nikoleta E Glynatsi, Gisela T Rodríguez-Sánchez, Amanda de Azevedo-Lopes
Journal Reference: Evolution
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpaf255

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