Fundamental Physics and Cosmology

这个奖项资助了塔夫茨大学亚历山大维伦金教授的研究。宇宙学的最新发展表明，宇宙的大部分处于爆炸性加速膨胀的状态，称为暴胀。我们生活在一个“泡沫”中，通货膨胀已经结束，其他具有不同属性的泡沫正在不断形成。永恒暴胀理论中一个尚未解决的主要问题是计算不同测量的相对概率的问题。在永恒的暴胀过程中，任何具有非零概率的事件都会发生无限次，而比较无限次本身就是一项模棱两可的任务。目前的挑战是制定一个令人信服的概率测量处方。这将使该理论有一个更坚实的基础，并将（至少在原则上）允许它的观测测试。 这项研究的另一个主要课题是宇宙弦的演化和观测特征。弦可以在早期宇宙中形成为高能线性缺陷，并且可以在现在产生各种观测效果。宇宙弦的探测将是非常重要的，因为它将打开一个独特的窗口，进入非常高的能量的物理学和宇宙的早期历史，这个项目也被设想有重大的更广泛的影响。 从永恒的暴胀场景中出现的新世界观具有超越物理学的深远影响。Vilenkin教授将继续在公开讲座、流行文章、流行杂志和电视访谈中提出这些想法。上述研究将在研究生和博士后的积极合作下完成，从而为年轻的物理学家提供重要的培训。

This award funds the research of Professor Alexander Vilenkin at Tufts University.Recent developments in cosmology suggest that much of the universe is in a state of explosive accelerated expansion, called inflation. We live in a "bubble" where inflation has ended, and other bubbles with diverse properties are constantly being formed. A major unresolved problem in this theory of eternal inflation is the problem of calculating relative probabilities of different measurements. In the course of eternal inflation, any event having a nonzero probability will happen an infinite number of times, and comparing infinities is an inherently ambiguous task. The challenge is to formulate a compelling probability measure prescription. This will put the theory on a much firmer footing and will (at least in principle) allow its observational tests. Another major topic of this research is the evolution and observational signatures of cosmic strings. Strings can be formed as high-energy linear defects in the early universe and can produce a variety of observational effects at the present time. A detection of cosmic strings would be of great importance, as it would open a unique window into the physics of very high energies and into the early history of the universe.This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts. The new worldview that has emerged from the eternal inflation scenario has far-reaching implications beyond physics. Professor Vilenkin will continue presenting these ideas in public lectures, in popular articles, and in popular magazine and TV interviews. The research described above will be done with active collaboration of graduate students and postdocs, thus providing crucial training to the young physicists.