Research on Quantum Fluctuation Phenomena and Gravitation

量子涨落现象与引力研究

• 批准号: 9507351
• 负责人: Lawrence Ford
• 金额: $ 9.29万
• 依托单位: Tufts University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-07-15 至 1998-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9507351&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Research; Quantum; Fluctuation; Phenomena; Gravitation

This project will involve theoretical research on various aspects of quantum field theory and its relationship to gravitational theory and cosmology. The research will especially focus upon issues relating to quantum fluctuations, either in gravitational systems or in other contexts (such as boundary effects) which are analogous to gravity. One line of investigation will study the vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field in flat spacetime. New physical effects which may be testable by experiment will be sought. A closely related line of investigation will study the effects of fluctuations of the gravitational field itself. When quantum matter fields act as the source of the gravitational field, there will often be large fluctuations in the energy density and pressure of the source which will translate into large fluctuations in the gravitational field. The effects of these fluctuations will be investigated. There are also fluctuations due to the quantum nature of the gravitational field itself. These will be studied in the context of a model where a background bath of gravitons causes the lightcone to be slightly smeared out. This smearing may produce effects upon other quantum fields which will lead to insights about the quantum nature of gravity and possibly even observable effects. In the latter case, one would also gain important information about the origin and evolution of the universe through the background of relic gravitons.

该项目将涉及量子场理论各个方面及其与重力理论和宇宙学的关系的理论研究。 该研究将特别关注与重力系统或类似于重力的其他情况下的量子波动有关的问题。 一条调查将研究平面时空中电磁场的真空波动。 可能会通过实验测试的新物理效应。 密切相关的研究线将研究重力场本身波动的影响。 当量子物质场充当重力场的来源时，源的能量密度和压力通常会发生较大的波动，这将转化为重力场中的大波动。 这些波动的影响将得到研究。 由于重力场本身的量子性质，也存在波动。 这些将在模型的背景下进行研究，该模型的背景浴会导致灯具略微涂抹。 这种涂抹可能会对其他量子场产生影响，这将导致有关重力的量子性质甚至可能可观察到的效果的见解。 在后一种情况下，人们还将通过遗物引力者的背景获得有关宇宙起源和演变的重要信息。