PARTICLE AND QUANTUM FIELD THEORY INVESTIGATIONS

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This proposal covers many interrelated topics aiming to answer truly fundamental questions in theoretical physics. Among them: what is the correct gravity theory at large (cosmic) distances? What is quantum gravity? What is its energy scale? How (in)distinguishable are black holes? What is the origin of and solution to the hierarchy problem? The group consists of four theorists who work both separately and together on these fundamental questions. Porrati intends to undertake a systematic study of general theorems on interacting high-spin particles, both massive and massless. He proposes to extend previous results on back-reaction effects of gravity to understand their effects at short and large distances. He will work with G. Dvali and G. Gabadadze to understand the dynamics of IR modified gravity as well as of standard General Relativity. Porrati will use his expertise in string theory, and his past work on the AdS/CFT duality to study simpler,potentially soluble models of quantum gravity in lower dimension.Gabadadze is planning to approach the cosmological constant problem, and the issue of cosmic acceleration within the paradigm of large distance modification of gravity. He will: search for brane induced gravity models that lead to an accelerated expansion. Sirlin plans to continue his studies of several aspects of precision electroweak physics and related concepts in Quantum Field Theory, and to pursue the search of signals and bounds for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Dvali's research will focus on identifying and studying the new physics beyond the Standard Model, both in cosmology and particle physics. He is interested in how the dynamics behind the mechanism of stabilizing the weak scale will have consequences for LHC physics (such as, for example, production of mini black holes). He is also interested in theories of gravity that provide new physics at long distances, that on the one hand could explain the accelerated expansion of the Universe, and on the other can have testable experimental consequences.The PIs are involved in working with the NYU School of education on various outreach projects. They also give popular lectures, serve as liaisons with Latin-American students and write popular science articles.