RUI: The Non-Linear Universe: Precision Numerical Cosmology and Fundamental Physics

Kenyon College, Gambier OH

Investigators

Abstract

This award funds the research of Professor John T. Giblin, Jr. at Kenyon College. The Universe is nature's greatest laboratory; as we look toward understanding the fundamental nature of matter and energy, we must confront the secrets of the Universe that surrounds us. The past few decades have left fundamental physics with several large, unanswered questions: what is the nature of dark energy, what is the nature of dark matter, and what lies at energies beyond the Standard Model of particle physics? Professor Giblin's research seeks to understand how we can extract information from observations of the Universe as we attempt to answer these questions. As the Universe evolved from higher to lower temperatures, it likely underwent (sometimes) violent transitions. To understand what might have occurred, and how we might extract information from the residual radiation from these processes, very careful numerical examinations of these processes will be necessary. Professor Giblin and his students will develop these techniques and give indications of how we can look for signatures of fundamental physics in the Universe around us. Additionally, this research will have significant broader impacts, providing high-impact hands-on research experiences for undergraduate students, thereby enhancing the scientific literacy of the next generation. This project will also fund the development of computational modules that can be used to bring fundamental physics to high-school classrooms across the country. This work is therefore in the national interest as it prepares our students to confront the great questions of fundamental physics with sophisticated technical skills. More specifically, this work will employ numerical methods in order to examine the consequences of beyond-leading-order non-linear physics. Such explorations require careful treatment --- generally conducted using discretized (lattice) methods. Professor Giblin and his students will continue to develop these methods as they apply to more complex gauge fields (both abelian and non-abelian) and to effective field theories. This work will explore the relationship between gauge fields and gravitational waves, to investigate whether gravitational waves can mediate the interactions of gauge fields. Additionally, this work will examine the role of gravitational back-reaction in general and how it affects precision predictions at the end of inflation, the formation of compact structures, and the evolution of scalar-field dark matter. This work will also provide predictions of the impact of future cosmological observations.