Research on Quantum Field Fluctuations and Gravity

量子场涨落与引力研究

• 批准号: 0244898
• 负责人: Lawrence Ford
• 金额: $ 13.5万
• 依托单位: Tufts University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-07-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0244898&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Research; Quantum; Field; Fluctuations; Gravity

This project involves theoretical research on several topics related to quantum theory and gravitation. There will be special emphasis on phenomena related to quantum fluctuations. Some of the topics to be investigated include negative energy, fluctuations of the energy density,and the forces on atoms and macroscopic bodies due to the vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. The work on negative energy seeks to ascertain the limits placed by the aws of physics upon negative energy density, which can be produced by quantum effects.These limits in turn will help to understand better the types of gravitational effects which quantum systems can produce.The study of energy density fluctuations (stress tensor fluctuations) will help to elucidate how quantum fluctuations of matter can give rise to quantum fluctuations of the gravitational field.This may lead to a more precise description of the event horizon of a black hole or the spacetime geometry in the early universe.The work on the forces due to vacuum fluctuations (Casimir forces) will look for systems in which these usually tiny forces can become enhanced. Particular attention will be paid to systems where these enhanced effects might be experimentally observed.This project seeks to integrate studies of the quantum nature of the gravitational field with studies of fluctuating electromagnetic forces. It is hoped that this type of investigation will lead to a deeper understanding of both types of phenomena. This project is expected to have a broader impact through possible benefits to other fields of science, to education, and to technology. The insights and techniques of this work may be useful outside of the specific subfields of physics being investigated. The project will further education through the training of graduate students and by the involvement of faculty at primarily teaching institutions. It should also produce examples which can be used to explain some of the concepts of quantum theory and relativity to students on a variety of educational evels. The work on Casimir forces may eventually be useful in nanotechnology. A better knowledge of Casimir forces is likely to become important for the construction of small scale devices.

该项目涉及与量子理论和引力相关的多个主题的理论研究。将特别强调与量子涨落相关的现象。要研究的一些主题包括负能量、能量密度的波动以及由于电磁场的真空波动而对原子和宏观物体产生的力。关于负能量的工作旨在确定物理学对负能量密度的限制，负能量密度可以由量子效应产生。这些限制反过来将有助于更好地理解量子系统可以产生的引力效应的类型。对能量密度涨落（应力张量涨落）的研究将有助于阐明物质的量子涨落如何引起引力场的量子涨落。这可能会导致对黑洞或黑洞事件视界的更精确描述。早期宇宙中的时空几何。对真空涨落产生的力（卡西米尔力）的研究将寻找可以增强这些通常很小的力的系统。我们将特别关注那些可以通过实验观察到这些增强效应的系统。该项目旨在将对引力场的量子性质的研究与对脉动电磁力的研究结合起来。希望这种类型的研究能够加深对这两类现象的理解。该项目预计将通过对其他科学、教育和技术领域可能带来的好处而产生更广泛的影响。这项工作的见解和技术可能在正在研究的物理学的特定子领域之外有用。该项目将通过研究生培训和主要教学机构教师的参与来进一步教育。它还应该提供一些示例，用于向不同教育水平的学生解释量子论和相对论的一些概念。卡西米尔力的研究最终可能会在纳米技术中发挥作用。更好地了解卡西米尔力可能对于小型设备的构造变得重要。