Superstring Theory, Black Hole Physics and Quantum Gravity

American University Of Beirut, New York

Investigators

Abstract

Recently,considerable progress has been made in the study of string theories. It has been realized that superstring theory has a web of duality symmetries relating nonperturbative effects to perturbative ones. The picture emerging is that there exists a fundamental theory, M-theory, that perturbatively, looks like string theory, but nonperturbatively has a very rich structure which includes symmetries relating perturbative excitations to solitons. Another recent development has been Maldacena's conjectured equivalence between string theory on anti-de Sitter spaces and gauge field theories living on the boundary of these spaces. This ADS/CFT equivalence gave more importance to the study of gravitational anti-de Sitter configurations as they provide a tool to the study of quantum gauge field theories important for particle physics. The main focus of this proposal is: a) to find a complete classification of supersymmetric gravitational backgrounds in various spacetime dimensions and to understand better the ADS/CFT correspondence and the intricate relation between geometry and supersymmetry. b) to develop our understanding of the nonperturbative theory underlying string theory, and incorporate the new developments in the study of the phenomenological implications of string theory to gravitational physics, particle physics and cosmology. The broader implications of this proposal are that it will lead to collaboration between string theorists and differential geometry. Also the work will take place at the Center for Advanced mathematical Science at the University of Beirut which will become a Major Center for collaborations among scientists in the Middle East. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Diary Note Proposal:0703017 PI Name:Sabra, Wafic Printed from eJacket: 02/28/07 Page 1 of 1