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A major problem of quantum field theory in curved spacetime, and quantum gravity more generally, is the lack of sufficient observational and experimental guidance. To address this issue I am proposing to explore various phenomena of semi-classical gravity and quantum gravity in table-top experiments. The overall programme is based on the existence of analogue gravity models for semi-classical quantum gravity, demonstrating that certain effects predicted within quantum field theory in curved spacetimes can be mimicked in easy-to-access physical systems, such as fluids and superfluids. In addition, I will explore the possibility of adapting the general principles underlying analogue gravity models to full quantum gravity, combining tools and concepts from quantum information theory with discrete quantum gravity. In contrast to many other proposals in quantum gravity, the project objectives are not only theoretical (analytical and numerical studies), but also of experimental nature. The specific scientific goals are to study the robustness and universality of (rotating) black hole phenomena in water channel flows, cosmological particle production in Bose-Einstein condensate, and the emergence of a smooth geometry as an ensemble average of binary encodings of triangulated manifolds.

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Dr. Silke Weinfurtner, SISSA, Trieste
Seminarraum Theoretische Physik
Contact: not specified