The Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University

Center for Gravitational Physics (CGP)
YITP, Kyoto University

Purpose

Understanding nature of gravity has long been one of the central issues in particle physics/string theory and astrophysics/cosmology. As a result of significant developments of these fields in the past decades, we are now in an exciting position to enhancing the research activity of gravity toward various directions. For example, by the recent development of string theory, in particular by the discovery of the so-called gauge/gravity correspondence, gravity has become a core subject in a wider area of theoretical physics. It is anticipated that a new perspective on nature may be gained by a deeper understanding of gravity. For example, gravity may be the very key for the understanding of basic phenomena in quantum theory such as quantum entanglement.

It should be also emphasized that gravitational-wave astronomy just began quite recently (in 2015) by the first direct detection of gravitational waves from binary black holes achieved by advanced LIGO in USA. A number of subsequent discoveries of astrophysical phenomena in strong gravitational fields in the near future will lead to deeper understanding of physics associated with strong gravitational fields.

The purpose of this center is to stimulate various fields in theoretical physics from new perspectives, with "gravity" as the keyword, and to establish an international center for gravitational physics in the wider sense through collaborations with researchers and institutions from all over the world.