Thesis

Mapping the Dark Universe with Fundamental Couplings

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2014

• Academic Year:

  2014 /2015

• Domain:

  Astrophysics

• Supervisor:

  Carlos Martins

• Co-Supervisor:

• Institution:

  Universidade do Porto

• Host Institution:

  CAUP

• Abstract:

  Tests of the spacetime stability of nature’s fundamental couplings recently became an extremely active area of research, and are listed among ESA and ESO’s science drivers for the next generation of facilities. While a detection of variations will be direct evidence of Equivalence Principle violations and a fifth force in Nature, any such measurements (even null results) can provide tight constraints on additional dynamical degrees of freedom (such as fundamental scalar fields) that are known to be among Nature’s building blocks. The thesis will explore the role of these astrophysical tests on fundamental physics, with some emphasis on dynamical dark energy. Initially the work will be done in the context of a UVES Large Program (whose data analysis is ongoing), but forthcoming facilities such as ESPRESSO and ELT-HIRES will become more relevant as the thesis progresses.