String theory, gravity and experiment

Abstract

The aim of these lectures is to give an introduction to several topics which lie at the intersection of string theory, gravity theory and gravity phenomenology. One successively reviews: (i) the "membrane" approach to the dissipative dynamics of classical black holes, (ii) the current experimental tests of gravity, and their theoretical interpretation, (iii) some aspects of the string-inspired phenomenology of the gravitational sector, and (iv) some possibilities for observing string-related signals in cosmology (including a discussion of gravitational wave signals from cosmic superstrings).

75 pages, 8 figures; based on lectures given by T. Damour at Les Houches Summer School in Theoretical Physics: Session 87: String Theory and the Real World: From Particle Physics to Astrophysics, Les Houches, France, 2-27 July 2007