M-Theory, Cosmology and Quantum Field Theory

伦敦帝国理工学院理论物理组的STFC研究计划侧重于M理论，量子场论和宇宙学的相互关联的基本问题。M理论包含弦理论和超引力理论，是我们试图统一爱因斯坦的广义相对论和粒子物理学标准模型的核心方法。M理论最有趣的特点之一是它结合了非微扰杨-米尔斯理论的双重描述，导致黑洞和热量子场论之间的深刻联系，以及对强耦合现象（如禁闭）的新见解。这些联系将继续以多种不同的方式进行探索，包括使用新的几何技术和完全可积的量子场论模型。弦理论的探索将在传统几何学无法描述的背景下进行，既加深我们对M理论真空空间结构的理解，并将其应用于粒子物理学现象学，也为M理论的基本自由度提供线索。M理论在理解黑洞的量子性质方面取得了很大的进展。使用分析和数值技术，我们将构建和研究黑洞与新的视界拓扑结构和可能的应用程序，夸克胶子等离子体和不太了解的系统，如高温超导凝聚态物质。M理论黑洞和量子纠缠测量之间的联系也将被探索。在宇宙学和量子场论的相关方面，宇宙大爆炸起源结构的关键线索将在对宇宙微波背景的非高斯修正中找到。这是关于早期宇宙中密度扰动起源和星系结构形成的重要指示。一方面，我们已经建立了参与观测方案，如普朗克，蜘蛛和BPol，并在分析这些数据。另一方面，需要充分发展的模型来研究早期宇宙中量子场的演化及其对早期宇宙结构演化的影响。因此，在分析观测微波背景数据的同时，我们将继续进行早期宇宙场动力学和结构形成的计算建模。我们的研究的广泛领域之间存在着深刻的协同作用，一方面，杨-米尔斯规范理论的非微扰方面的工作为超引力和超弦理论提供了信息，另一方面，研究了早期宇宙的高温场和早期宇宙密度波动的计算建模。

The STFC research programme of the Theoretical Physics Group at Imperial College London is focused on the interrelated fundamental problems of M-theory, quantum field theory and cosmology. M-theory, which subsumes string theory and supergravity theory, is our central approach in attempting to unify Einstein's theory of General Relativity with the Standard Model of particle physics. One of the most interesting features of M-theory is that it incorporates dual descriptions of non-perturbative Yang-Mills theories in terms of strings leading to profound connections between black holes and thermal quantum field theory and new insights into strong coupling phenomena such as confinement. These connections will continue to be explored in a number of different ways, including using novel geometric techniques and exactly integrable quantum field theory models. Exploration of string theory on backgrounds which cannot be described by conventional geometry will be carried out, both to deepen our understanding of the structure of the space of vacua of M-theory with applications to particle physics phenomenology and also to provide hints as to the fundamental degrees of freedom of M-theory. There has been a great deal of progress in understanding the quantum properties of black holes in M-theory. Using both analytical and numerical techniques we will construct and study black holes with novel horizon topologies and with possible applications to both quark gluon plasma and poorly understood systems in condensed matter such as high temperature superconductors. Connections between M-theory black holes and measure of quantum entanglement will also be explored. In the area of cosmology and related aspects of quantum field theory, key clues to the structure of the big bang origin of the universe are to be found in the non-Gaussian corrections to the cosmic microwave background. This is an important indication about the origin of density perturbations in the early universe and of the formation of galactic structures. On the one hand we have established participation both in observational programmes such as Planck, Spider and BPol, and also in the analysis of this data. On the other hand, fully developed models are needed for the evolution of quantum fields in the early universe and their effect on the evolution of early universe structure. So, in parallel with the analysis of observational microwave background data, we will pursue computational modelling of early-universe field dynamics and structure formation. There is a deep synergy between the broad strands of our research, with work on the non-perturbative aspects of Yang- Mills gauge theories informing both supergravity and superstring theory on the one hand and the study of high- temperature fields in the early universe and the computational modelling of early-universe density fluctuations on the other.