Cosmology from Surveys
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
It seems we live in a bizarre Universe. Recent measurements strongly favour a 'concordance' model in which the Universe is flat and contains approximately 4% baryons, 21% Cold Dark Matter and 75% Dark Energy .The concept of Dark Energy is a variant on Einstein's cosmological constant (Lambda). This 'Lambda+ Cold Dark Matter' paradigm and its extensions pose fundamental questions about the origins of the Universe. The Universe appears to have begun with a period of rapid inflation and eventually cooled into a dark world in which the first objects formed and re-ionized the Universe. Along with Dark Energy, these processes form the basis for research of this proposal. A unique feature of our Programme is that it brings together expertise in galaxy surveys, gravitational lensing, radio survey analysis and the CMB. The Programme also connects the UCL Cosmology and Instrumentation Teams. Since its foundation in 2004 the main focus of the Cosmology Team has been Dark Energy with heavy involvement and leadership roles in both the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and in the proposed ESA Euclid satellite. With the recruitment of two new members of staff in 2009 we have branched into the research areas of the Cosmic Microwave Background (utilizing the Planck satellite) and Radio Surveys (e.g. LOFAR). Therefore we have now a much broader coverage of modern Cosmology. We will estimate the properties of Dark Energy, constrain the physics of the very early Universe, study the phase change as the universe underwent Re-ionization, and potentially measure the mass of the neutrino for the first time. The proposed Programme is divided into four Themes, listed from low to high redshift: Theme 1 covers Cosmology from Photometric Redshift Surveys, Theme 2 is focused on Cosmic Shear from these surveys, Theme 3 explores Radio Surveys mainly for studying the Epoch of Re-ionization, and Theme 4 looks at the fundamental problems of the Early Universe, with the aid of data from Planck. The Cosmology Team at UCL is well placed for this project. The four applicants are very experienced in the fields of analyzing large galaxy surveys, designing surveys for weak lensing and for the Epoch of Re-ionization, and studying the early universe from the CMB, our best hope for uncovering fingerprints of the Physics operating at very high energy scales. The proposed Programme would allow us to maintain and enhance our leadership roles in international projects, and to train and inspire a young generation of Cosmologists.
Organisations
Publications
Agarwal Shankar
(2012)
Constraining Cosmological Parameters, Including Neutrino Mass, Using N-body Large Scale Simulations and Artificial Neural Networks
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #219
Maartens Roy
(2015)
Cosmology with the SKA -- overview
in arXiv e-prints
Nord B.
(2016)
SPOKES: an End-to-End Simulation Facility for Spectroscopic Cosmological Surveys
in ArXiv e-prints
Jouvel S.
(2015)
Photometric redshifts and clustering of emission line galaxies selected jointly by DES and eBOSS
in arXiv e-prints
Bonnett C.
(2015)
Redshift distributions of galaxies in the DES Science Verification shear catalogue and implications for weak lensing
in ArXiv e-prints
Levi Michael
(2013)
The DESI Experiment, a whitepaper for Snowmass 2013
in arXiv e-prints
Leistedt B.
(2015)
Mapping and simulating systematics due to spatially-varying observing conditions in DES Science Verification data
in ArXiv e-prints
Poci A.
(2015)
DESAlert: Enabling Real-Time Transient Follow-Up with Dark Energy Survey Data
in ArXiv e-prints
Kirk Donnacha
(2011)
Optimising cosmic shear surveys to measure modifications to gravity on cosmic scales
in ArXiv e-prints
Abdalla F.
(2012)
The Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESpec): A Multi-Fiber Spectroscopic Upgrade of the Dark Energy Camera and Survey for the Blanco Telescope
in arXiv e-prints
Park Y.
(2015)
Joint Analysis of Galaxy-Galaxy Lensing and Galaxy Clustering: Methodology and Forecasts for DES
in ArXiv e-prints
Sadeh Iftach
(2015)
ANNz2 - photometric redshift and probability distribution function estimation using machine learning
in ArXiv e-prints
Lahav Ofer
(2014)
The Cosmological Parameters 2014
in arXiv e-prints
{Abdalla}, F. And {Annis}, J. And {Bacon}, D. And {Bridle}, S. And {Castander}, F. And {Colless}, M. And {DePoy}, D. And {Diehl}, H.~T. And {Eriksen}, M. And {Flaugher}, B. And {Frieman}, J. And {Gaztanaga}, E. And {Hogan}, C. And {Jouvel}, S. And {Kent}, S. And {Kirk}, D. And {Kron}, R. And {Kuhlmann}, S. And {Lahav}, O. And {Lawrence}, J. And {Lin}, H. And {Marriner}, J. And {Marshall}, J. And {Mohr}, J. And {Nichol}, R.~C. And {Sako}, M. And {Saunders}, W. And {Soares-Santos}, M. And {Thomas
(2012)
The Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESpec): A Multi-Fiber Spectroscopic Upgrade of the Dark Energy Camera and Survey for the Blanco Telescope
in ArXiv e-prints
Jouvel S
(2014)
CLASH: Photometric redshifts with 16 HST bands in galaxy cluster fields
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Joachimi B
(2011)
Constraints on intrinsic alignment contamination of weak lensing surveys using the MegaZ-LRG sample
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lahav O
(2014)
Dark energy, paradigm shifts, and the role of evidence
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Newman J
(2015)
Spectroscopic needs for imaging dark energy experiments
in Astroparticle Physics
Balan Sreekumar Thaithara
(2012)
ExoFit: Orbital parameters of extra-solar planets from radial velocity
in Astrophysics Source Code Library
Lahav Ofer
(2012)
ANNz: Artificial Neural Networks for estimating photometric redshifts
in Astrophysics Source Code Library
Mellema G
(2013)
Reionization and the Cosmic Dawn with the Square Kilometre Array
in Experimental Astronomy
Feeney S
(2014)
Sparse inpainting and isotropy
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Oikonomou F
(2013)
A search for correlation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with IRAS-PSCz and 2MASS-6dF galaxies
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Peiris H
(2013)
Constraining monodromy inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Markovic K
(2011)
Constraining warm dark matter with cosmic shear power spectra
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Wainwright C
(2014)
Simulating the universe(s) II: phenomenology of cosmic bubble collisions in full general relativity
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Price L
(2015)
MULTIMODECODE: an efficient numerical solver for multifield inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Verde L
(2013)
(Lack of) Cosmological evidence for dark radiation after Planck
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Wainwright C
(2014)
Simulating the universe(s): from cosmic bubble collisions to cosmological observables with numerical relativity
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Feeney S
(2013)
Is there evidence for additional neutrino species from cosmology?
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Banerji M
(2014)
Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data with near-infrared data from the ESO VISTA Hemisphere Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leistedt B
(2014)
Exploiting the full potential of photometric quasar surveys: optimal power spectra through blind mitigation of systematics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Raccanelli A
(2012)
Cosmological measurements with forthcoming radio continuum surveys Cosmological measurements with radio surveys
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leistedt B
(2013)
Estimating the large-scale angular power spectrum in the presence of systematics: a case study of Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mucesh S
(2021)
A machine learning approach to galaxy properties: joint redshift-stellar mass probability distributions with Random Forest
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chapman E
(2013)
The scale of the problem: recovering images of reionization with Generalized Morphological Component Analysis
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Palmese A
(2016)
Comparing Dark Energy Survey and HST -CLASH observations of the galaxy cluster RXC J2248.7-4431: implications for stellar mass versus dark matter
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Patel P
(2014)
Weak lensing measurements in simulations of radio images
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Melchior P
(2015)
Mass and galaxy distributions of four massive galaxy clusters from Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Merson A
(2016)
Halo detection via large-scale Bayesian inference
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Agarwal S
(2014)
pkann - II. A non-linear matter power spectrum interpolator developed using artificial neural networks
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Saro A
(2015)
Constraints on the richness-mass relation and the optical-SZE positional offset distribution for SZE-selected clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jeffrey N
(2020)
Deep learning dark matter map reconstructions from DES SV weak lensing data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Refregier A
(2012)
Noise bias in weak lensing shape measurements Noise bias in lensing shape measurement
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rozo E
(2016)
redMaGiC: selecting luminous red galaxies from the DES Science Verification data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hawken A
(2012)
Lifting the degeneracy between geometric and dynamic distortions using the sound horizon from the cosmic microwave background Calibrating the BAO scale using the CMB
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McEwen J
(2013)
Bayesian analysis of anisotropic cosmologies: Bianchi VIIh and WMAP
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Palmese A
(2020)
Stellar mass as a galaxy cluster mass proxy: application to the Dark Energy Survey redMaPPer clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Balbinot E
(2015)
The LMC geometry and outer stellar populations from early DES data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sánchez C
(2014)
Photometric redshift analysis in the Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Title | Hosting artists in residence |
Description | We have hosted artists in residence who were inspired by Dark Energy studies |
Type Of Art | Artwork |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | - Artist Katie Paterson (on Leverhulme grant; PI: Lahav) presented her work in museums around the world - Artist Marie Kaus produced art work on dark energy, on display at UCL Observatory at Mill Hill |
Description | This grant is finished but this section can be updated at a later date if details required. This grant laid the foundations for preparations for the Dark Energy Survey, where we have played leadership roles The Dark Energy Survey is now complete, but data are sill analysed. The survey has produced so far produced over 350 papers (as of March 2020), some of them led by our group. In addition, the grant provided support for theoretical studies in cosmology and other probes such as the CMB. |
Exploitation Route | Published in ArXiv (Green open access) and refereed journals This grant was followed by the Consolidated Grants (2012-2015; 2015-2019; 2018-21). This grant led to 3 ERC grants: Bridle (Starting Grant) Lahav (Advanced Grant), Peiris (Starting Grant). |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
URL | http://www.ucl.ac.uk/star |
Description | This grant is finished but this section can be updated at a later date if details required. - Media interviews and press releases - Artist Katie Paterson (on Leverhulme grant; PI: Lahav) presented her work in museums around the world , and artist Marie Kaus produced art work on dark energy, on display at UCL Observatory at Mill Hill |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Description | Advance ERC grant |
Amount | € 2,400,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | FP7/291329 |
Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 05/2012 |
End | 04/2018 |
Title | Optics and statistical methods |
Description | - designing optical corrector for wide field multi object spectroscopy - developing statistics of cross correlations of imaging and spectroscopic surveys (Kirk et al.) - developing methods for selecting candidates of emission lines galaxies from imaging surveys |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | See above |
Description | Book: "The Dark Energy Survey: The Story of a Cosmological Experiment" (edited by O. Lahav et al.) published by World Scientific (2020) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | "The Dark Energy Survey: The Story of a Cosmological Experiment" (edited by O. Lahav et al.) published by World Scientific (2020) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/q0247 |
Description | press release and interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | a press release on DESI (which succeeded DESpec) Interviewed in at article on DESI in Physics Today (Oct 2016) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |