The research focuses on the understanding of the fundamental interactions between and of particles and fields. They include strong and weak interactions, as well as quantum gravity and other phenomena beyond the reach of existing experiments. The research concentrates on three areas: phenomenological tests of the Standard Model (such as CP violation in heavy meson systems) which may point to new physics; theoretical extensions of the Standard Model, including supersymmetry and string theory; and tests of these extensions (such as predictions about the production of microscopic black holes).
Dr. Alfred D. Shapere
(PI)
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506
Tel: 859-257-8896
Fax: 859-323-2846
Email: shapere@pa.uky.edu
Dr. Sumit R. Das (Co-PI)
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506
Email: das@pa.uky.edu
Dr. Susan V. Gardner
(Co-PI)
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506
Email: gardner@pa.uky.edu
Significance of Detecting Microscopic Black
Holes in Earth's Atmosphere
Microscopic black holes could be forming and exploding
regularly in the atmosphere above us. In theories
of gravity that include several extra dimensions,
the energies involved in cosmic ray collisions might
be large enough to produce these black holes. Such
events could be observed in existing cosmic ray
experiments.
From the fact that cosmic ray showers of a predicted type have not yet been observed, the best available limits on the size of these possible black holes have been estimated. These limits will improve over the next few years as additional data become available, and will be compared to limits set by the Large Hadron Collider. On the other hand, if black hole cosmic rays are observed, they could provide the first experimental evidence for extra dimensions, quantum gravity, and string theory.
The research findings have garnered over 300 scientific citations (according to SPIRES database), and was featured in Physical Review Focus and Nature. The results were also summarized for general audiences in journalistic venues, including Science News and USA Today.