Quantum Gravity on the Inside

该奖项资助约翰霍普金斯大学教授贾里德卡普兰的研究活动。 多年来，物理学家们一直在寻找一种方法，将我们对引力的理解（基于爱因斯坦的广义相对论）与量子力学联合收割机结合起来。 然而，这种融合产生了所谓的黑洞信息粒子，这似乎挑战了我们最基本的物理原理之一，即局部性原理，该原理指出物体只有在彼此靠近时才能相互作用。 但是，正如海森堡的测不准原理只是各种量子怪异现象的预兆一样，信息悖论可能预示着其他微妙的定域性违背。 卡普兰教授的研究目标是研究这些奇异现象，以确定物理定律，特别是局部性原理，是否可以在黑洞附近保持。 因此，这项研究通过促进科学进步，发现和理解基本物理原理，促进了国家利益。 这项研究项目也将产生更广泛的影响，因为卡普兰教授将让研究生参与他的研究，并计划通过公开演讲传播这项研究的结果。 在更技术的层面上，卡普兰教授的目标是使用AdS/CFT对应来研究量子引力中的定域性。 特别是，他将集中在以下问题：（1）如何可以AdS/CFT对应作出预测的物理体观测超越微扰理论？ (2)以前发现的非微扰局部性侵犯（2+1）维AdS空间鲁棒和物理？ (3)能否证明在AdS/CFT中屏蔽引力场的不可能性？ Kaplan教授将使用AdS/CFT对应，共形引导和Virasoro对称来执行显式计算，这将有助于解决这些问题。 卡普兰教授还将奋进解释CFT在AdS量子引力方面的技术发展，以揭示黑洞蒸发的奥秘和量子引力局部性的局限性。 最后，Kaplan教授将致力于将他的研究成果扩展到更高的维度和与物理更相关的时空，包括量子引力宇宙学。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award funds the research activities of Professor Jared Kaplan at Johns Hopkins University. For many years, physicists have been searching for a way to combine our understanding of the gravitational force, which is based on Einstein's theory of general relativity, with quantum mechanics. However, such a fusion gives rise to the so-called Black-Hole Information Paradox, which seems to challenge one of our most fundamental physical principles, namely the principle of locality, which states that objects can only interact if they are near each other. But just as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle was only a harbinger of all manner of quantum weirdness, the information paradox may presage other subtle violations of locality. The goal of Professor Kaplan's research is to study some of these exotic phenomena in order to determine if the laws of physics, and in particular the principle of locality, can be maintained near black holes. As a result, this research advances the national interest by promoting the progress of science towards the discovery and understanding of fundamental physical principles. This research project will also have broader impacts, as Professor Kaplan will involve graduate students in his research and plans to disseminate the results of this research through public talks. On a more technical level, Professor Kaplan aims to study locality in quantum gravity using the AdS/CFT correspondence. In particular, he will focus on the following questions: (1) How can the AdS/CFT correspondence make predictions for physical bulk observers beyond perturbation theory? (2) Are previously-discovered non-perturbative locality violations in (2+1)-dimensional AdS space robust and physical? (3) Can the impossibility of screening the gravitational field in AdS/CFT be demonstrated? Professor Kaplan will use the AdS/CFT correspondence, the conformal bootstrap, and Virasoro symmetry to perform explicit calculations that will help to address these questions. Professor Kaplan will also endeavor to interpret technical developments in CFT in terms of quantum gravity in AdS in order to shed light on the mysteries of black-hole evaporation and the limitations on locality in quantum gravity. Finally, Professor Kaplan will work to extend his results to higher dimensions and to more physically relevant spacetimes, including quantum gravitating cosmologies.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.