The Fundamental Origin of Dark Matter and Dark Energy in Projective Gauge Gravity

Professor Vincent Rodgers; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa

String theory in two dimensions is believed to be equipped with enough symmetry to render a quantum theory of gravity viable. In this discussion, we will focus on the algebra of vectors fields on a line and their dual and show the origin of 2D quantum gravity ala Polyakov. We will then show that there are features of this 2D theory that appear in higher dimensional gravitational theories and augment Einstein's theory of General Relativity. This is the origin of Thomas-Whitehead Gravity. We discuss how this theory provides a natural origin of dark energy and dark matter that can couple to fermions.