The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
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Planned Impact
DESI is a ground-based experiment to study the expansion rate of the universe and the growth of cosmological structure with a wide-angle spectroscopic galaxy and quasar redshift survey. The 5000-fibre DESI spectrograph will allow an order of magnitude improvement in the distance scale over the redshifts 0.8
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Andrew Doel (Principal Investigator) | |
| Ofer Lahav (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
DESI Collaboration DESI
(2016)
The DESI Experiment Part II: Instrument Design
in arXiv e-prints
DESI Collaboration DESI
(2016)
The DESI Experiment Part I: Science,Targeting, and Survey Design
in arXiv e-prints
Tarle G
(2018)
As-built new Mayall telescope top end for the DESI project
Sholl M
(2018)
Fabrication of the DESI corrector lenses
Fagrelius P
(2020)
Performance of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) focal plane
Tie S
(2020)
The DESI sky continuum monitor system
Ding Zhejie
(2022)
The DESI $N$-body Simulation Project II: Suppressing Sample Variance with Fast Simulations
in arXiv e-prints
| Description | We have assembled. aligned and delivered one of the world's largest wide field corrector lens assembly to the Mayall telescope in Arizona for the DESI project. The corrector was successfully commissioned in April 2019 and the full DESI instrument was commissioned in 2020/21. The main 5-year science survey was started in May 2021 and by January 2022 had catalogued over 7.5 million galaxy spectra, more than all previous 3D surveys combined. |
| Exploitation Route | The DESI corrector is part of the DESI instrument that will be conducting a 5 year cosmological survey. This survey data will be available to the wider astronomical community. |
| Sectors | Other |
| URL | https://www.desi.lbl.gov/ |
| Description | There has been a lot of popular press coverage of the DESI instrument and its initial results. This has included several BBC news items (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49774339,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-59974215). |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | BBC news segment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC news segment (28 October 2019) on the DESI project. This involved interview with UCL staff. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49774339 |
| Description | Talk at Westminster Reference library |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public talk at Westminster Reference library |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Talk to Ewell astronomical society |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk to Ewell astronomical association. Questions asked after talk by audience members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Talk to the British Astronomical Association summer meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at the British Astronomical Association annual summer meeting. Question session after talk. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |