Quantized Geometry, Cosmology and Dark Matter

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This award funds the research activities of Professor Ali Chamseddine at the American University of Beirut. The research of theoretical elementary-particle physicists is directed towards finding a better understanding of the building blocks of nature and their fundamental interactions. This is done by searching and building alternative models that go beyond what is presently known and which could be tested by experiments or satisfy stringent mathematical constraints. This often requires the invention of new theoretical methods, and in some instances new mathematics. Professor Chamseddine will work on developing new geometry that describes the a possible hidden structure of space-time and helps to explain why nature behaves as observed. Another goal of this research project is the development of a modified model of Einstein's General Relativity which explains dark matter and also removes certain problematic features of existing cosmological models and theories of black holes. Research in this area advances the national interest by promoting the progress of science in one of the most challenging directions: finding the laws that govern the physical universe and its constituents. This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts, including the training of graduate students at the cutting edge of this field, thereby helping to foster a vibrant environment for the promotion of research, and of the American educational system, in the Middle East.At the technical level, the research of Professor Chamseddine is aimed at developing noncommutive geometric models at the quantum level. Quanta of geometry could be used as building blocks to construct four-dimensional manifolds and their noncommutative extension. In addition, the work of Professor Chamseddine on mimetic gravity will be applied to solve some outstanding problems in cosmology, such as building models of a bouncing universe.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.