RUI: Testing Spacetime Symmetry Foundations of General Relativity

现代物理学建立在两个非常成功的理论之上：爱因斯坦的广义相对论(GR)和量子物理学。前者描述了所有已知的大于微米尺度的引力现象，后者描述了原子和亚原子世界。物理学家们普遍猜测，这两者合并成了一种未知的统一理论。最近的文献工作揭示了这样一个统一理论的可观察暗示可能会出现，因为它违反了广义相对论的基础，包括概括了狭义相对论原理的局部洛伦兹对称。这些研究将在从地球实验室实验到遥远的脉冲星观测和引力波的实验和观测中调查洛伦兹破坏的新类型的信号。这份提案计划了本科生的研究项目和外展机会。支持的工作将利用一个有效的场论框架来描述近年来被广泛采用的一般时空对称性破坏。这项工作的一个重要部分将涉及精密太阳系重力测试的现象学和分析，包括地球实验室测试和天基测试。在以前工作的基础上，PI还将进一步发展超越太阳系天体物理领域的有效场论框架，并将结果应用于引力波和脉冲星系统的观测。PI还将调查文献中广泛使用的特定建议模型与此测试框架的匹配情况，目的是用现有和未来的测量来约束这些模型。通过提供动力和在GR之外寻找新物理的其他领域，这项工作将对参与地球实验室GR精度测试、太阳系测试和引力波观测工作的研究人员产生积极影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Modern physics rests on two widely successful theories: Einstein's General Relativity (GR) and quantum physics. The former describes all known gravitational phenomena on scales larger than micrometers, the latter describes the atomic and subatomic world. Physicists widely conjecture that the two are merged in an as yet unknown unified theory. Much recent work in the literature has revealed the possibility that observable hints of such a unified theory could arise as violations of the foundations of General Relativity theory, including local Lorentz symmetry, which encapsulates the principles of Special Relativity. These studies will investigate new types of signals for Lorentz violation in experiments and observations ranging from Earth laboratory experiments to distant pulsar observations and gravitational waves. Undergraduate research projects and outreach opportunities are planned in this proposal. The supported work will make use of an effective field theory framework for describing generic spacetime-symmetry violation that has been widely adopted in recent years. A significant part of the work will involve phenomenology and analysis in precision Solar-system tests of gravity including Earth-laboratory tests and space-based tests. Building on prior work, the PI will also further develop the effective field theory framework in the area of beyond solar-system astrophysics and apply the results to gravitational waves and observations of pulsar systems. The PI will also investigate the match of specific proposed models, used widely in the literature, to this test framework with the goal of constraining these models with existing and future measurements. By providing motivation and additional areas in which to search for new physics beyond GR, this work will positively impact researchers involved in precision tests of GR in Earth laboratories, solar-system tests, and those working on gravitational wave observations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.