Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology: Cosmic Laboratories for New Physics (Summary of the Snowmass 2001 P4 Working Group)

Abstract

The past few years have seen dramatic breakthroughs and spectacular and puzzling discoveries in astrophysics and cosmology. In many cases, the new observations can only be explained with the introduction of new fundamental physics. Here we summarize some of these recent advances. We then describe several problem in astrophysics and cosmology, ripe for major advances, whose resolution will likely require new physics.

27 pages, 14 figures

References in corpus (8)

• The Ekpyrotic Universe: Colliding Branes and the Origin of the Hot Big Bang
• DASI First Results: A Measurement of the Cosmic Microwave Background Angular Power Spectrum
• Gravitational Waves from Electroweak Phase Transitions
• Gravitational Wave Emission From Core-Collapse of Massive Stars
• An introduction to cosmological inflation
• New physics and astronomy with the new gravitational-wave observatories
• Experimental CMB Status and Prospects: A Report from Snowmass 2001
• Early Universe Cosmology and Tests of Fundamental Physics: Report of the P4.8 Working Subgroup, Snowmass 2001