Coordinator: Profº Santiago Esteban Perez Bergliaffa
Description: In this project, we are particularly interested in the study and understanding of cutting-edge problems in the area of theoretical physics, especially in the understanding of the physics of the primordial universe, including physics associated with the big bang, of issues related to so-called dark universe components (energy and dark matter) and fundamental problems of general relativity, such as black holes, gravitational waves, gravitational collapse and other possible extensions. This research group, linked to the UERJ's graduation program in physics, has made important contributions in this sense and has a long-standing network of international collaborations. This project will allow not only a narrowing and deepening of these collaborations, but also the elaboration of future agreements, particularly with universities in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Argentina and Mexico (such as the UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE, MCGILL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, UNIVERSITÉ MONTPELLIER, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, GEORGIA TECH, OBSERVATOIRE DE PARIS-MEUDON, UNIVERSITÉ PARIS MARIE CURIE, AND INSTITUTE OF COSMOLOGY AND GRAVITATION). The research group in the areas of cosmology and gravitation of gpf is highly productive in terms of quality publications (mostly quails A), with several orientations at both master's and doctoral level and has a wide network of international collaborations. Its connection to this project is presented in a natural way, given the possibility of making possible the future relations of the program with those researchers and international institutions and the exchange of researchers and students from both institutions involved. This project aims the study of the various aspects related to gravitation and cosmology: inflation and phase transitions in the primordial universe (phase transitions in general associated with spontaneous symmetry breaks), description of black holes in modified theories of gravitation, emission of gravitational waves by systems described by general relativity (gravitational collapse and interactions between compact objects). We expect to gain a deeper understanding in this area of physics, attracting and broadening the interest of other research groups in this area and the visibility of our publications at both the national and especially the international level.