BRANECOSMOLOGY · Quantum and String Cosmology with Branes and Fluxes
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-09-01 → 2017-08-31
- EU contribution
- €172,800
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Quantum and String Cosmology with Branes and Fluxes
The standard model of cosmology describes the universe we observe on the largest scales, and it is impressive agreement with a large body of experimental observations. The model holds that the universe is dominated by a positive vacuum energy which is responsible for the exponential spatial expansion. Additionally, the matter content of our universe is dominated by “dark” matter, as well as the regular matter that we are familiar with. Finally, it is widely accepted that a period of slow-roll inflation is responsible for seeding the spatial perturbations that give rise to the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). However, implicit in both the early period of inflation and the late-time vacuum energy, there are open questions in the standard model of cosmology that require a theory of quantum gravity. It has been the objective of this action to explore constructions within string theory which shed some light onto the open questions involving the nature of the very early universe and also the late-time acceleration. Tracing backwards the exponential expansion during inflation, one is lead to an incredibly high density universe where the theory of general relativity breaks down. The breakdown of general relativity, known as a singularity, signals the need for a theory of quantum gravity. Therefore, the one of the main objectives of this action has been to apply techniques in quantum cosmology and string theory to the study of singularities in cosmology. Furthermore, the period of inflation should be embedded into string theory so as to be consistent with its high energy origin. Finally, if string theory is the correct theory of quantum gravity it should contain vacua consistent with the current vacuum energy. It is an objective to apply the state-of-the-art technology for model building in supergravity to describe positive vacuum energies. By making progress towards filling in these gaps in the standard model of cosmology, we make progress towards some of humankind’s oldest and most fundamental questions: what are the origins and fate of our universe?
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
This proposal promotes a research program in theoretical cosmology to be carried out by M. Schillo at the Institute of Theoretical Physics at K.U. Leuven. The aim of the research will be to address two of the pressing issues in modern cosmology: the lack of a reliable framework in which we can describe accelerating, vacuum dominated universes (such as our own), and the necessity for a theory of quantum gravity to describe the early universe. These problems have recently been impressed upon the cosmological community by the findings of the Planck satellite and the BICEP2 experiment, which provides ample motivation for the integration of high-energy physics and cosmology. Additionally, the fresh outlooks and theoretical models that this program is designed to produce will be necessary for the interpretation of findings of the next generation of ESA missions; without meaningful theories for the data to either support or falsify, the full potential of these missions cannot be realized. The innovative approach which will allow this research to contribute to the state-of-the-art in cosmology and move towards solutions to these problems is the combination of newly discovered dynamics and processes in string theory, which M. Schillo developed in her previous research, with the technologies of quantum cosmology and advanced string theory compactifications, in which the faculty of the high-energy group at K.U. Leuven are world-experts.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN · LeuvenCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union