RUI: New Observables for de Sitter Quantum Gravity

This award funds the research activities of Professor Claire Zukowski at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Quantum physics has successfully described the constituents of matter at subatomic scales. On the other hand, Einstein’s theory of gravity dominates the behavior of matter at the largest known scales in our universe. While it is well-tested at large scales, gravity is the only known force for which we do not know the quantum description. There are regimes where one is needed: for instance, deep inside a black hole or shortly after the Big Bang, when our entire gravitating universe was compressed within a tiny region. A theory of quantum gravity aims to fill in these gaps in our fundamental understanding of the universe, but is most tractable in models that do not describe our actual universe. In this project, Professor Zukowski will study quantum gravity in a setting that approximates our known universe. The research will advance the national interest by promoting the progress of science through an understanding of physical laws. The work will also have significant broader impacts. Professor Zukowski will train both undergraduate and master’s students in this field of research, providing crucial support for their education and career development. She will also give lectures aimed at high school students and the general public about recent developments in quantum gravity. More technically, Professor Zukowski will study quantum gravity in de Sitter spacetime. Using standard techniques in holography as a starting point, she will apply quantum information theoretic tools such as modular Berry transport and complexity to probe bulk geometry. While traditional dS/CFT has presented challenges for generalizing holography beyond asymptotically AdS spacetimes, new avenues are opened by recent developments in Chern-Simons gravity. Professor Zukowski will use these methods to compute new quantum observables for de Sitter. Finally, the project will also connect to cosmology through a further study of the landscape. Performing general warped compactifications and applying a new bootstrap technique for compactifications will constrain the low-energy landscape for quantum gravity. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.