Indian Physicists at TIFR Tests Quantum Gravity

[February 07, 2006]

Indian Scientists at Tata Institute of Fundametal Research Proposed Experiment to testify Theory of Quantum Gravity

Einstein?s dream of Unified forces - Theory of everything got a major push with proposed tests for theory of Quantum Gravity by Indian Scientists. The ultimate goal of Quantum Theory of gravity is a unified framework for all fundamental forces?a theory of everything.

Indian Physicists found and proposed an experimental test for the quantum theory of gravity. Quantum Theory of Gravity is the first step to unify the forces of nature on a large scale to the quantum forces that govern the atomic world.

"These effects can be observed and is an important step because validating quantum gravity is a necessary step in having a unified theory of forces of nature, which has been the cherished goal of generations of scientists, including Einstein," Dr Pankaj Joshi of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, one of the senior authors of the work published in the January 27 issue of Physical Review Letters said in Mumbai Tuesday.

The next milestone for these Indian Physicists would be upcoming experiments like the Extreme Universe Space Observatory, to be launched by the European Space Agency in 2010, which could help provide a test for the prediction.

Major findings from the study over Quantum theory of Gravity

1. There is nothing called as naked singularity or a region of infinite density as we read from stephan hawkings "Brief History of Time" that spoon full of matter will weigh as heavy as earth etc.
2. After star exhausted all its fuel, it won't form a Black hole under gravitational collapse.
3. After Star dies it will throw all its matter in the form of explosive burst simillar to a fireball or a flash.

Research Team for Study over Theory of Quantum Gravity

Dr. Pankaj Joshi of TIFR
Rituparna Goswami, Dr. Joshi's Doctral student at TIFR
Parampreet Singh of Pennsylvania State University

Einstein's Mathematical equations in General Theory of relativity predict the existence of Black Holes as well as naked singularities. "But that does not mean that these objects occur in the Universe. What we have found is when we apply laws of the quantum theory to Einstein's mode, both the Black Hole as well as Naked Singularity are dispensed, and instead, a burst occurs in the final stages of collapse of the dying star," Dr. Joshi said.

Study of dying star is one of the major area's Dr. Joshi of TIFR along with his co-workers are engaged for over past 2 decades. Dr. Joshi's team used Loop Quantum Gravity (one of the prominent quantum gravity theory like string theory) to prove the existence of unique signature of each exploding star.