Fundamental Physics and Observational Cosmology
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics
Abstract
We aim to advance the confrontation between observational cosmology and fundamental physics by developing testable signatures of early universe theories which are of direct relevance to STFC-supported satellite and other experiments, such as Planck and Clover. This work entails making detailed quantitative observational predictions which can be used to distinguish between different inflation models, as well as those involving cosmic superstrings and textures. In particular, we wish to study cosmologies emerging from higher dimensional models in fundamental theory, and discover ways in which to differentiate these from conventional four-dimensional models. We will also use data from the late universe to develop probes of the cosmological constant, dark energy and the variation of the fundamental constants of nature. In addition, we will embark on a new project in gravitational physics, studying the existence, formation and consequences of black holes. We will consider the distinctive signatures of extra dimensions which the experimental study of black holes may be able to uncover.
Organisations
Publications
Chen X
(2009)
Large primordial trispectra in general single field inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Li B
(2011)
Large-scale structure in f ( T ) gravity
in Physical Review D
Challinor A
(2009)
Lecture notes on the physics of cosmic microwave background anisotropies
Gibbons G
(2008)
Light bending in Schwarzschild-de Sitter: projective geometry of the optical metric
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Hikage C
(2008)
Limits on primordial non-Gaussianity from Minkowski Functionals of the WMAP temperature anisotropies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pontzen A
(2011)
Linearization of homogeneous, nearly-isotropic cosmological models
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Renaux-Petel, Sebastien
(2010)
Local non-Gaussianities at third order in multifield models and the ekpyrotic trispectrum
Hartle J
(2011)
Local observation in eternal inflation.
in Physical review letters
Sotiriou T
(2011)
Lower-dimensional Horava-Lifshitz gravity
in Physical Review D
Seery D
(2009)
Magnetogenesis and the primordial non-gaussianity
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics