Cosmic String Network Simulation and Analysis

该奖项资助了Tufs大学的Ken Olum教授和Jose Blanco-Pillado教授对宇宙弦的研究。宇宙弦是极细的，甚至是宇宙长度的基本物体。它们可以产生于场论中的对称破缺或超弦理论。它们可以在宇宙微波背景、宇宙射线、超高能中微子或引力波中产生观测特征。如果宇宙弦被探测到，它们将为了解任何加速器都无法触及的基本物理和能量提供一个窗口。在过去的三年里，塔夫茨大学宇宙学小组开发了一个大型的平行宇宙弦网络计算机模拟系统。这个模拟可以处理比其他模拟长得多的大容量。本项目将利用这一模拟来研究宇宙弦环的形状、长宇宙弦上激励的功率谱，以及产生宇宙弦环谱的具体过程。所有这些问题对于弦网的观测特征都是至关重要的。该项目将通过研究生的参与和来自代表性不足群体的学生参与研究的机会产生更广泛的影响。其结果将通过期刊出版物广泛传播，并在万维网上向公众提供。这个项目还将进一步把对宇宙的研究与对自然基本规律的研究联系起来，从而造福社会。

This award funds the cosmic-string research of Professors Ken Olum and Jose Blanco-Pillado at Tufs University.Cosmic strings are microscopically thin or even fundamental objects of cosmological length. They can arise from symmetry breaking in field theory or from superstring theory. They can produce observational signatures in the cosmic microwave background, in cosmic rays, in ultra-high-energy neutrinos, or in gravity waves. If cosmic strings are detected, they will provide a window onto fundamental physics and energies beyond the reach of any accelerator. Over the past three years, the Tufts cosmology group has developed a large, parallel computer simulation of cosmic string networks. This simulation can handle a much larger volume for a much longer time than any other. This project will make use of this simulation in order to study the shapes of cosmic string loops, the power spectrum of excitations on long cosmic strings, and the the specific processes which give rise to the spectrum of cosmic string loops. All these questions are of paramount importance to the observational signatures of a string network.The project will have a broader impact through the involvement of graduate students and through opportunities for students from underrepresented groups to participate in research. Its results will be broadly disseminated through publication in journals and made available to the public on the World Wide Web. This project will also benefit society by further connecting studies of the universe with studies of the fundamental laws of nature.