Novel Astrophysical Windows into Fundamental Physics: From Big Bang to Black Holes, and the Dark Universe

当谈到见证我们宇宙的内部运作时，过去几年再令人兴奋不过了：大型强子对撞机发现了粒子物理学标准模型中最后一块缺失的拼图，难以捉摸的希格斯粒子（2013年诺贝尔奖）。LIGO和Virgo天文台现在可以绘制时空几何中的微小涟漪（所谓的引力波），这些涟漪来自合并黑洞，从宇宙中到达我们（2017年诺贝尔奖）。事件视界望远镜为我们提供了一个巨大的黑洞在一个巨大的星系中心进食的第一张图像。最后但并非最不重要的是，由于精确宇宙学的进步（如2006年，2011年和2019年诺贝尔奖所承认的那样），我们现在可以以低于百分之一的精度测量宇宙膨胀，揭示暗能量之谜的新转折，甚至在最大可观测尺度上引力性质的可能裂缝。 尽管如此，我们的微观世界和宏观世界的理论将在量子引力中相遇，但量子引力的描述仍然像以往一样难以捉摸。在引力方面，暗物质、暗能量、大爆炸和黑洞是我们可观测宇宙中不可或缺的组成部分，但仍然可以接受我们的理论审查。在量子方面，尽管量子引力理论取得了巨大的进展，但找到这些无处不在的天体物理现象的具体模型仍然是一场艰苦的战斗。这项提议旨在利用新的实验和观测机会来解决这些深层的理论之谜。 等效原理（或光速的普遍性）是导致爱因斯坦提出相对论的最伟大的见解之一。然而，尽管相对论在经验上取得了巨大的成功，但它还是预言了自己的灭亡，例如，在大爆炸的最早时刻，当温度超过1031摄氏度时，以及在大质量恒星死亡时形成的黑洞的中心。在量子引力理论中，在如此极端的条件下，等效原理是否会被违反？这个简单的断言可能解决许多与大爆炸和黑洞相关的难题，并导致对宇宙学和引力波观测的尖锐预测，我计划用即将到来的实验来测试。我还计划探索进入黑暗宇宙的其他新窗口，探测暗物质的纳米结构和动态量子真空的引力。 这些目标只能通过一群才华横溢、多样化的年轻科学家来实现，他们在学习从数据科学和数学建模到科学协作等宝贵技能的同时，推动人类知识的边界。他们的崇高追求不仅将为我们带来独特的宇宙视角，为未来的技术奠定基础，而且还将灌输一种奖学金，好奇心和创新的文化，最终将丰富我们的生活，就在加拿大和世界各地。

When it comes to witnessing the inner workings of our cosmos, the past few years could not have been more exciting: The Large Hadron Collider has discovered the last missing piece of the puzzle in the Standard Model of Particle Physics, the elusive Higgs particle (2013 Nobel Prize). LIGO and Virgo observatories can now map tiny ripples in the geometry of spacetime (so-called gravitational waves) emanating from merging Black Holes, reaching us from across the universe (2017 Nobel prize). The Event Horizon Telescope has provided us with the first image of a monstrous Black Hole feeding at the heart of a giant galaxy. Last but not least, thanks to advances in precision cosmology (as recognized in 2006, 2011, and 2019 Nobel prizes), we can now measure cosmic expansion at sub-percent precision, revealing new twists in the mystery of Dark Energy, and even possible cracks in the nature of gravity on the largest observable scales. Nevertheless, a description of Quantum Gravity, where our theories of the micro- and macro-worlds would meet, remains as elusive as ever. On the gravity side, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Big Bang, and Black Holes are indispensable components of our observable universe, yet have remained impregnable to our theoretical scrutiny. On the quantum side, in spite of great theoretical advances in proposals for Quantum Gravity, finding concrete models of these ubiquitous astrophysical phenomena remains an uphill battle. This proposal aims to exploit novel experimental and observational opportunities to tackle these deep theoretical mysteries. The Equivalence Principle (or the universality of the speed of light) was one of the greatest insights that led Einstein to the theory of Relativity. However, despite its great empirical success, Relativity predicts its own demise, e.g., at the earliest moments of the Big Bang when temperatures exceed 1031 C and within the hearts of Black Holes that form upon the death of massive stars. Could it be that the Equivalence Principle is violated in such extreme conditions, in a theory of Quantum Gravity? This simple assertion can potentially solve many of the puzzles associated with the Big Bang and Black Holes and lead to sharp predictions for cosmological and gravitational wave observations that I plan to test with upcoming experiments. I also plan to explore other novel windows into the Dark Universe, probing the nanostructure of Dark Matter and the gravity of a dynamical quantum vacuum. These goals can only be achieved through a talented and diverse cohort of junior scientists, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge while learning invaluable skills, ranging from Data Science and Mathematical Modeling to Scientific Collaboration. Their noble pursuit will not only bring us a unique cosmic perspective and lay the foundations of future technologies, but also instill a culture of scholarship, curiosity, and innovation that will ultimately enrich our lives, right here in Canada and across the world.