On Gravitational Fields Induced on the Surface of Topological Matter

The equivalence principle—one of the key principles Einstein introduced in general relativity—states that no accelerated motion can be distinguished from gravity. When our motion is constrained and accelerated, such as when a roller coaster suddenly turns, we feel gravity. Materials known as topological matter have the property that their conduction electrons are confined to the surface. If that surface is curved, do the conduction electrons feel gravity? And if they do, what equation of motion do they obey? In this talk, I will introduce recent research addressing this question.