Research in High Energy Physics and Cosmology

该奖项资助纽约大学马修·b·克莱班教授的研究活动。一些当代的基础物理学理论预测了所谓的“多元宇宙”的存在，其中包含许多不同的泡沫宇宙。这些气泡碰撞，与我们自己的气泡碰撞产生“宇宙尾迹”，穿过我们的宇宙，创造出特定的模式，这些模式可能是通过卫星和地面天文台的宇宙学数据观察到的。探测到这样的碰撞将是一个革命性的发现，它表明我们可观测到的宇宙只是一个巨大整体的一小部分，这个整体由包含高度奇异物理区域的气泡组成。它将证实弦理论的预测，为“暗能量”的本质提供关键证据，并永久地改变我们对大爆炸的看法。克莱班教授将推进一个研究项目，重点研究弦理论和量子引力中能够预测效应的方面——比如气泡碰撞——这些效应可以用宇宙学观测来验证。Kleban教授正在进行的研究旨在确定宇宙膨胀的微观物理起源，宇宙膨胀是宇宙早期发生的一段爆炸性膨胀时期。因此，Kleban教授的研究通过促进科学在其最基本的方向之一的进步来推进国家利益：发现和理解新的物理定律。Kleban教授的工作还将继续以公开讲座和访谈的形式产生更广泛的影响，并激励纽约大学物理学本科生和研究生。另一方面，Kleban教授还将培训和协助参与该项目的博士后研究员的专业发展。更技术性的是，Kleban教授将尝试在一个一致的、稳定的弦理论紧化中实现一个被称为“unwind inflation”的模型。该模型有许多明显的优点，可能使其成为暴胀的合理解释，特别是它自发地从弦的一般亚稳定de Sitter相开始。他还将继续研究气泡碰撞、隧道和其他初始状态效应的暴胀特征，以及暴胀过程中产生的可能表明其微观物理起源的动态特征。最后，他将继续在强时间依赖的环境下研究弦理论，如宇宙学和相对论膜散射。

This award funds the research activities of Professor Matthew B. Kleban at New York University.Some contemporary theories of fundamental physics predict the existence of a so-called "multiverse" containing many distinct bubble universes. These bubbles collide, and collisions with our own bubble produce "cosmic wakes" that travel across our universe, creating specific patterns that are potentially observable with cosmological data from satellite- and ground-based observatories. The detection of such a collision would be a transformative discovery, demonstrating that our observable universe is a tiny part of a vastly larger whole populated by bubbles containing regions of highly exotic physics. It would confirm a prediction of string theory, provide crucial evidence for the nature of "dark energy", and permanently alter our view of the big bang. Professor Kleban will advance a program of research focused on those aspects of string theory and quantum gravity that predict effects --- like bubble collisions --- that can be tested with cosmological observations. Professor Kleban's ongoing research seeks to determine the microphysical origin of cosmic inflation, a period of explosive expansion that took place in the very early universe. As such, Professor Kleban's research advances the national interest by promoting the progress of science in one of its most fundamental directions: the discovery and understanding of new physical laws. Professor Kleban's work will also continue to have broader impact in the form of public lectures and interviews, and in inspiring undergraduate and graduate physics students at NYU. On another front, Prof. Kleban will also train and assist in the professional development of a postdoctoral researcher who will participate in this project.More technically, Prof. Kleban will attempt to realize a model known as "unwinding inflation" in a consistent, stabilized string theory compactification. This model has a number of notable advantages that might make it a plausible explanation for inflation, particularly the fact that it begins spontaneously from a generic meta-stable de Sitter phase in the string landscape. He will also continue his work on inflationary signatures of bubble collisions, tunneling, and other initial-state effects, as well as dynamical features produced during inflation that might indicate its microphysical origin. Lastly, he will continue to study string theory in strongly time-dependent settings, such as cosmology and relativistic brane scattering.