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
Burrage C
(2009)
Active Galactic Nuclei Shed Light on Axionlike Particles
in Physical Review Letters
Burrage, Clare; Davis, Anne-Christine & Shaw, Douglas J.
(2009)
Searching for Axion-like Particles with Active Galactic Nuclei
Cadonati L
(2009)
Status of NINJA: the Numerical INJection Analysis project
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Cardoso V
(2009)
Bifurcation of plasma balls and black holes to Lobed configurations
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Cardoso V
(2010)
Phase diagram for non-axisymmetric plasma balls
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Casey S
(2011)
Optical metrics and projective equivalence
in Physical Review D
Challinor A
(2009)
Lecture notes on the physics of cosmic microwave background anisotropies
Challinor, A.
(2009)
Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Analysis
Chen B
(2007)
Bubbling AdS and droplet descriptions of BPS geometries in IIB supergravity
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Chen X
(2008)
Generation and characterization of large non-Gaussianities in single field inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics