Experimental Search for Quantum Gravity
This book summarizes recent developments in the research area of quantum gravity phenomenology. A series of short and nontechnical essays lays out the prospects of various experimental possibilities and their current status. Finding observational evidence for the quantization of space-time was long thought impossible. In the last decade however, new experimental design and technological advances have changed the research landscape and opened new perspectives on quantum gravity. Formerly dominated by purely theoretical constructions, quantum gravity now has a lively phenomenology to offer. From high precision measurements using macroscopic quantum oscillators to new analysis methods of the cosmic microwave background, no stone is being left unturned in the experimental search for quantum gravity.
This book sheds new light on the connection of astroparticle physics with the quantum gravity problem. Gravitational waves and their detection are covered. It illustrates findings from the interconnection between general relativity, black holes and Planck stars. Finally, the return on investment in quantum-gravitation research is illuminated. The book is intended for graduate students and researchers entering the field.Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder is a research fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. Her research focuses on topics ranging from the physics of black holes to cosmology to the foundations of quantum mechanics. She devoted more than ten years to investigate the question where to best search for experimental evidence of quantum gravity. She worked at Nordita (Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics), Stockholm, Sweden; the Perimeter Institute, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA and at the University of Arizona, USA.