The Physics of Information

该研究计划将开发新的信息理论方法来解决物理学中的基本问题，同时探索信息技术的可能应用。 ***基础物理学的两大支柱是量子理论和广义相对论。量子理论正在产生诸如不确定性原理之类的深刻见解，并提供从电子到激光的应用。广义相对论正在产生深刻的见解，例如对宇宙历史的理解，并正在使全球定位系统技术成为可能。 ***然而，一个深刻的挑战来自于这两种理论部分相互矛盾的事实，这意味着它们并不代表最终定律。必须有一个更基本的量子引力理论——它将提供更深入的见解和未知的潜在应用。发展这一理论是一项巨大的挑战，需要开发新的方法。在过去的几年里，社区发现越来越多的证据表明需要新的信息论方法。 ***作为这项国际努力的一部分，目前的研究计划采用了技术中已经使用的信息论方法，并进一步开发它们，使它们成为量子引力的工具。这是一组称为香农采样的方法。这些方法很重要，因为它们建立了信息的连续和离散表示的关键等价性。因此，香农方法通常被纳入从卫星到消费电子产品的技术中。 ***之所以有希望进一步开发用于量子引力的香农方法，是由于量子引力的一个特殊挑战：广义相对论将时空描述为光滑的，而量子理论表明时空最终可能是离散的。研究界可以使用新开发的香农采样方法作为量子理论和广义相对论结构之间的桥梁工具。作为当前研究计划的一部分，香农方法将特别应用于黑洞物理学和宇宙学。 ***大多数要开发的技术将被设计为具有非常广泛的用途。因此，除了有助于解决基本的物理问题之外，目前的研究计划还有可能为新技术做出贡献。该研究计划包括探索量子计算机的量子控制方法、自适应带宽数据压缩以及高分辨率成像技术的应用的具体计划。 ***加拿大在引力和宇宙学、量子信息和经典信息技术研究领域被誉为世界领先者。目前的研究计划有助于提高加拿大在这些研究领域的地位，并且该计划还具有在信息技术行业中的应用潜力。 **

This research program will develop new information-theoretic methods to address fundamental questions in physics, while also exploring possible applications to information technologies. ***The two pillars of fundamental physics are quantum theory and general relativity. Quantum theory is yielding deep insights such as the uncertainty principle and provides applications from electronics to lasers. General relativity is yielding deep insights, e.g., into the history of the universe, and is enabling the technology of global positioning systems. ***A profound challenge, however, arises from the fact the two theories in part contradict each other, which means that they do not represent the final laws. There must be a more basic theory of quantum gravity – and it will offer yet deeper insights and as yet unknown potential applications. To develop this theory is a tremendous challenge that requires the development of new methods. Over the past years, the community has found increasing evidence that it is new information-theoretic methods that are needed. ***As part of this international effort, the present research program takes information theoretic methods which are already used in technology and develops them further so that they become tools for quantum gravity. It is a set of methods called Shannon sampling. These methods are important because they establish the crucial equivalence of continuous and discrete representations of information. Shannon methods are, therefore, routinely built into technology from satellites to consumer electronics. ***The reason why it is promising to further develop Shannon methods for use in quantum gravity is due to a particular challenge of quantum gravity: general relativity describes spacetime as smooth while quantum theory indicates that spacetime may ultimately be discrete. The newly to be developed Shannon sampling methods can then be used by the research community as tools to bridge between quantum theoretic and general relativistic structures. As part of the present research program, Shannon methods are to be applied, in particular, to black hole physics and cosmology. ***Most of the techniques that are to be developed will be designed to be very broadly usable. In addition to being useful for addressing fundamental physical questions, the present research program has, therefore, also the potential to contribute to new technologies. The research program includes concrete plans for exploring applications to quantum control methods for quantum computers, to adaptive-bandwidth data compression as well as to high resolution imaging technology. ***Canada is well known as a world leader in the research areas of gravity and cosmology, quantum information and classical information technologies. The present research program contributes to Canada's standing in these research fields and the program also has potential for applications in the information technology industry.**