Probing Fundamental Physics with Gravitational Experiments

用引力实验探索基础物理

• 批准号: 0969199
• 负责人: Eric Adelberger
• 金额: $ 204万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0969199&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Probing; Fundamental; Physics; Gravitational; Experiments

This award allows the University of Washington Eot-Wash Group to develop ultra-sensitive torsion-balance instruments capable of detecting the ultra-weak forces suggested by modern ideas in theoretical physics, especially attempts to unify gravity with the other three fundamental forces. In particular, instruments will be developed that: 1) probe for ``large'' extra dimensions by testing Newton's inverse-square law down to length scales substantially smaller than the diameter of a human hair, 2) test Einstein's Weak Equivalence Principle with a sensitivity fifty times better than previously published results, 3) look for quantum gravity effects by testing Lorentz symmetry or charge-parity (CP) and charge-parity-time (CPT) violation,4) search for the force produced by axion-like particles with masses around 1000 micro-eV, 5) operate at temperatures close to absolute zero to study factors that limit torsion-balance sensitivity.The Eot-Wash Group has consistently provided the most precise studies of the broadly interesting issues they investigate. This required technical innovations that have found applications in other areas such as ground and space-based gravitational-wave detection. The Group's results are used by elementary-particle, gravitational and cosmological theorists to constrain interesting new ideas, are widely disseminated through publications, review papers, colloquia, invited talks, lab tours and public lectures, and are featured in magazine and newspaper articles in this country and in Europe. The variety of scientific issues addressed by the Group and the many experimental challenges involved provide an excellent education in experimental physics for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as well as unusually attractive opportunities for undergraduate research projects.

该奖项使华盛顿大学 Eot-Wash 集团能够开发超灵敏的扭转平衡仪器，能够检测理论物理学现代思想所提出的超弱力，特别是尝试将重力与其他三种基本力统一起来。特别是，将开发仪器：1）通过测试牛顿平方反比定律到远小于人类头发直径的长度尺度来探测“大”额外维度，2）测试爱因斯坦的弱等效原理，其灵敏度比之前发表的结果高五十倍，3）通过测试洛伦兹对称性或电荷宇称（CP）来寻找量子引力效应，以及 电荷宇称时间 (CPT) 违规，4) 寻找质量约为 1000 微电子伏的轴子类粒子产生的力，5) 在接近绝对零的温度下运行，以研究限制扭转平衡灵敏度的因素。Eot-Wash 小组始终对他们所调查的广泛有趣的问题提供最精确的研究。这需要在地面和天基引力波探测等其他领域得到应用的技术创新。 该小组的成果被基本粒子、引力和宇宙学理论家用来限制有趣的新想法，通过出版物、评论论文、座谈会、邀请演讲、实验室参观和公开讲座广泛传播，并在该国和欧洲的杂志和报纸文章中出现。该小组解决的各种科学问题以及涉及的许多实验挑战为研究生和博士后提供了良好的实验物理学教育，并为本科生研究项目提供了异常有吸引力的机会。