Fundamental And Precision Cosmology: Deep And Wide-Field Surveys To Unlock The Dark Side Of The Universe [Speaker: Jean-Paul Kneib, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne (EPFL)]

Tuesday February 13, 2018 4:00 pm
Marlar Lounge 37-252

Abstract:
In the last century our observations of the Universe have revealed deep mysteries that remain challenging enigma for our understanding of fundamental physics. What is Dark Matter that embraces the visible structures in the Cosmos? What is the putative Dark Energy that accelerates the expansion of the Universe?  In my presentation, I will in the first part, present new high precision measurements on the Dark Matter mapping of massive galaxy clusters using the Hubble Frontier Fields observations. These and future similar observations may ultimately help us uncover physical properties of the Dark Matter. In the second part, I will present extended-BOSS the current Sloan spectroscopic surveys as well as other projects that will help us constrain in particular the nature of Dark Energy and the mass of neutrinos. Finally, I will present recent technology developments of high-density fiber positioner systems for the coming and future generation of wide field spectroscopic surveys that are planned to significantly improve in precision cosmological measurements.

Host: Jacqueline Hewitt

 

Photo credit:  NASA, ESA/Hubble, HST Frontier Fields