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
Renaux-Petel, Sebastien
(2010)
Local non-Gaussianities at third order in multifield models and the ekpyrotic trispectrum
Pontzen A
(2011)
Linearization of homogeneous, nearly-isotropic cosmological models
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
Gibbons G
(2008)
Light bending in Schwarzschild-de Sitter: projective geometry of the optical metric
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Challinor A
(2009)
Lecture notes on the physics of cosmic microwave background anisotropies
Li B
(2011)
Large-scale structure in f ( T ) gravity
in Physical Review D
Chen X
(2009)
Large primordial trispectra in general single field inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Chen X
(2010)
Large non-Gaussianities with intermediate shapes from quasi-single-field inflation
in Physical Review D
Brax, Philippe; Van De Bruck, Carsten; Davis, Anne-Christine & Shaw, Douglas
(2009)
Laboratory Tests of Chameleon Models
Gibbons G
(2011)
Kohn's theorem, Larmor's equivalence principle and the Newton-Hooke group
in Annals of Physics
Dias Ó
(2009)
Kerr-CFT and gravitational perturbations
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Lip S
(2011)
Interacting cosmological fluids and the coincidence problem
in Physical Review D
Dias Ó
(2009)
Instability and new phases of higher-dimensional rotating black holes
in Physical Review D
Seery D
(2009)
Inflationary trispectrum from graviton exchange
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Li B
(2009)
Indistinguishable macroscopic behaviour of Palatini gravities and general relativity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Rinne O
(2009)
Implementation of higher-order absorbing boundary conditions for the Einstein equations
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Liguori M
(2008)
Impact of uncertainties in the cosmological parameters on the measurement of primordial non-Gaussianity
in Physical Review D
Donzelli S
(2009)
IMPACT OF THE 1/ f NOISE AND THE ASYMMETRIC BEAM ON NON-GAUSSIANITY SEARCHES WITH PLANCK
in The Astrophysical Journal
Brown M
(2009)
Impact of modulation on CMB B -mode polarization experiments
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sotiriou T
(2011)
Horava-Lifshitz gravity: a status report
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
{Pontzen}, A. & {Challinor}, A.
(2010)
Homogeneous Perturbations on FRW Backgrounds
Grover J
(2009)
HKT geometry and de Sitter supergravity
in Nuclear Physics B
Cremonini S
(2009)
Higher derivative effects on ? / s at finite chemical potential
in Physical Review D
Cremonini S
(2010)
Higher derivative corrections to R-charged black holes: boundary counterterms and the mass-charge relation
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Brax P
(2010)
Higgs production as a probe of chameleon dark energy
in Physical Review D