This award funds the research activities of Professor Alexander Vilenkin at Tufts University.
The theory of inflation, which has been the leading cosmological paradigm over the last three decades, has led to a major change in our global view of the universe. According to the new worldview, much of the volume in the universe is in the state of explosive inflationary expansion. We live in a region where inflation has ended, and other such regions with diverse properties are constantly being formed. Professor Vilenkin will develop methods to test this multiverse theory observationally. As part of this research, Professor Vilenkin will also study possible observational signatures of cosmic strings. Cosmic strings are very thin and highly energetic linear objects. Many models of particle physics predict that such strings must have formed in the early universe, and if so they can produce a variety of effects which are observable at the present time. In particular, such strings could be responsible for cosmic rays at the highest energies, which are hard to explain through conventional astrophysical processes. A detection of cosmic strings would be of great importance, as it would open a unique window into the physics of very high energies, inaccessible in particle accelerators. As such, this research is in the national interest by furthering the development of basic science in the United States. Professor Vilenkin will also continue his efforts to communicate these ideas to the general public.
At a more technical level, the predictions of the multiverse model will be explored using the powerful statistical methods developed by Professor Vilenkin and his collaborators. One of the predictions is the formation of black holes with a very wide distribution of masses. This effect, which may explain the origin of supermassive black holes observed at the centers of most galaxies, will be studied using numerical simulations.
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.
