DESpec: Spectroscopic upgrade of the Dark Energy Survey
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Dark Energy is one of the biggest mysteries in the whole of science. Observations over the past decade strongly favour a 'concordance' model in which the Universe is flat and contains approximately 4% ordinary atomic matter, 21% Cold Dark Matter and 75% Dark Energy. The Dark Energy paradigm and its extensions pose fundamental questions about the origins of the Universe: is Dark Energy an actual ingredient, or should Einstein's gravity theory be modified?
We propose a new initiative, the Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESpec), a 4000-fibre instrument for the Blanco 4-meter telescope in Chile that would take advantage of the infrastructure recently built for the Dark Energy Camera to achieve excellent science at low cost Starting in 2017, when the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is completed, DESpec would obtain spectroscopic redshifts for ~10 million galaxies from DES+VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and thereby improve our measurement of Dark Energy. DESpec will also constrain neutrino masses, enable new techniques such as redshift-space distortions to constrain Dark Energy vs. Modified Gravity models, and enable powerful studies of galaxy evolution. UK involvement would allow for the design to be harmonized with the needs and leadership roles of the UK astronomy community. As with DES, the UK investment would be highly leveraged by partnership with the US and other foreign partners. The total DESpec instrument cost is estimated at $40M, similar to DECam. The requested funding covers both instrumentation and and preparations for target selection and survey strategy. The work is fully coordinated with the work for BigBOSS:UK, another proposed spectroscopic instrument.
We propose a new initiative, the Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESpec), a 4000-fibre instrument for the Blanco 4-meter telescope in Chile that would take advantage of the infrastructure recently built for the Dark Energy Camera to achieve excellent science at low cost Starting in 2017, when the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is completed, DESpec would obtain spectroscopic redshifts for ~10 million galaxies from DES+VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and thereby improve our measurement of Dark Energy. DESpec will also constrain neutrino masses, enable new techniques such as redshift-space distortions to constrain Dark Energy vs. Modified Gravity models, and enable powerful studies of galaxy evolution. UK involvement would allow for the design to be harmonized with the needs and leadership roles of the UK astronomy community. As with DES, the UK investment would be highly leveraged by partnership with the US and other foreign partners. The total DESpec instrument cost is estimated at $40M, similar to DECam. The requested funding covers both instrumentation and and preparations for target selection and survey strategy. The work is fully coordinated with the work for BigBOSS:UK, another proposed spectroscopic instrument.
Planned Impact
The DESpec project will develop the skills of Post-docs and technical staff.
In particular, the work on simulations for target selection and survey strategy will be of use not only for DESpec, but also for a number of other planned spectroscopic surveys.
The Opto-Mechanical design and specification of the fibre imaging system will have broad implications for optical systems.
In particular, the work on simulations for target selection and survey strategy will be of use not only for DESpec, but also for a number of other planned spectroscopic surveys.
The Opto-Mechanical design and specification of the fibre imaging system will have broad implications for optical systems.
Organisations
Publications
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
Cacciato M
(2012)
On combining galaxy clustering and weak lensing to unveil galaxy biasing via the halo model Galaxy biasing in the halo model
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
Jouvel S
(2014)
Optimizing spectroscopic and photometric galaxy surveys: efficient target selection and survey strategy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kirk D
(2015)
Optimizing spectroscopic and photometric galaxy surveys: same-sky benefits for dark energy and modified gravity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Levi Michael
(2013)
The DESI Experiment, a whitepaper for Snowmass 2013
in arXiv e-prints
Newman J
(2015)
Spectroscopic needs for imaging dark energy experiments
in Astroparticle Physics
Sadeh I
(2015)
Gravitational redshift of galaxies in clusters from the sloan digital sky survey and the Baryon Oscillation spectroscopic survey.
in Physical review letters
{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
{Marshall}, J.~L. And {Kent}, S.~M. And {Diehl}, H.~T. And {Flaugher}, B.~L. And {Frieman}, J. And {Kron}, R.~G. And {DePoy}, D.~L. And {Colless}, M. And {Saunders}, W. And {Smith}, G.~A. And {Lahav}, O. And {Abdalla}, F. And {Brooks}, D. And {Doel}, P. And {Kirk}, D. And {Annis}, J. And {Lin}, H. And {Marriner}, J.~P. And {Jouvel}, S. And {Seiffert}, M.~D.
(2012)
The Dark Energy Spectrometer: a potential multi-fiber instrument for the Blanco 4-meter Telescope
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 | See the publications. DESpec was merged with BigBOSS into DESI, in which several UK groups (including UCL) are participants. DESI is now under construction, with expected observations in 2019. the R&D work of DESpec was crucial towards building DESI, and ensuring UK leadership. |
Exploitation Route | Published in ArXiv (Green open access) and refereed journals The results will and have been used to influence the future research carried out by ourselves and other astrophysicists. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Electronics |
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 release - 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 | 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 | 04/2012 |
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 | 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 |