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
Avgoustidis A
(2008)
Velocity-dependent models for non-Abelian/entangled string networks
in Physical Review D
Chow D
(2008)
Equal charge black holes and seven-dimensional gauged supergravity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Gibbons G
(2008)
Light bending in Schwarzschild-de Sitter: projective geometry of the optical metric
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Langlois D
(2008)
Primordial fluctuations and non-Gaussianities in multifield Dirac-Born-Infeld inflation.
in Physical review letters
Barrow J
(2008)
Some late-time asymptotics of general scalar-tensor cosmologies
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Langlois D
(2008)
Perturbations in generalized multi-field inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Battefeld D
(2008)
Staggered multi-field inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Ita E
(2008)
Finite states in four-dimensional quantized gravity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Seery D
(2008)
Non-Gaussianity of inflationary field perturbations from the field equation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Brax P
(2008)
D -term uplifted racetrack inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics