Research on Large Quantum Fluctuations and Gravity

这个项目将研究能量密度和重力的量子涨落以及相关的物理效应。最近的工作表明，非常大的能量密度波动的概率比之前认为的要大得多。这些能量密度的涨落也会导致引力场的大幅波动，这是量子引力效应的一种。这个项目将寻求对这些巨大波动的更深层次的了解。它还将研究凝聚态物质和原子系统中的类似效应，这些效应可能在实验室中观察到。这项调查的结果可能会对科学、数学、可能还有技术的其他领域产生更广泛的影响。预计要探讨的基本原则和技术将适用于所要研究的特定主题之外的领域。该项目将通过学生的参与为教育和人力资源开发做出贡献。研究生和本科生都可以参与项目的各个方面，提高他们的科学分析和沟通能力。该项目还将创建一些例子，有助于向不同教育水平的学生和公众解释量子理论和引力中的微妙概念。更好地理解大能量密度涨落和相关效应有望导致对量子物理和引力的更深层次理解。对引力场的影响是量子引力效应，它们的研究可能是通向更完整的量子引力理论的途径之一。这个项目将探索非线性算符的量子涨落，例如量子应力能量张量。特别令人感兴趣的是以这种方式在早期宇宙中产生原始黑洞的可能性。这一奖项反映了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。

This project will study quantum fluctuations of energy density and of gravity and related physical effects. Recent work has shown that the probability of very large energy density fluctuations is much larger than had previously been thought. These energy density fluctuations can also lead to large fluctuations of the gravitational field, which are a type of quantum gravity effect. This project will seek a deeper understanding of these large fluctuations. It will also study similar effects in condensed matter and atomic systems which may be possible to observe in the laboratory. The results of this investigation may have broader impacts on other areas of science, mathematics, and possibly technology. The basic principles and techniques to be explored are expected to have application beyond the specific set of topics to be studied. The project will contribute to education, and to human resource development through the involvement of students. Both graduate and undergraduate students can participate in various aspects of the project, and to improve their skills in scientific analysis and communication. The project will also create examples that will be useful to explain subtle concepts in quantum theory and gravity to students at various educational levels and to the general public.A better understanding of large energy density fluctuations and related effects are expected to lead to a deeper understanding both of quantum physics and of gravity. The effects on the gravitational field are quantum gravity effects, and their study can be one of the paths to a more complete quantum theory of gravity. This project will explore quantum fluctuations of nonlinear operators such as the quantum stress energy tensor. Of particular interest is the possibility of producing primordial black holes in the early universe this way.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.