Experimental Challenges in Probing Dark Energy with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

使用大型综合巡天望远镜探测暗能量的实验挑战

• 批准号: 1404070
• 负责人: Patricia Burchat
• 金额: $ 60万
• 依托单位: Stanford University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2017-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404070&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Experimental; Challenges; Probing; Dark; Energy

The standard models of particle physics and cosmology are incomplete. The particle content does not contain a viable candidate for the dark matter in the Universe and there is no well-motivated explanation of the nature of dark energy. The fields of particle physics and cosmology are inextricably intertwined. Accelerator-based experiments, detectors in deep underground mines, and telescopes in space and on the ground are all needed and used to explore fundamental questions such as the nature of dark matter. Gravitational lensing is a cosmological probe that has the advantage of being sensitive to all matter in the Universe: baryonic and dark matter. The growth of dark matter structure is a sensitive probe of the physics of dark energy. With this award, the Stanford group will play a leadership role in a high-priority effort in observational cosmology through the proposed Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration. The LSST is the first ground-based telescope being designed from scratch to address the severe demands on systematic uncertainties needed to fully exploit weak gravitational lensing as a cosmological probe. The LSST will also address cosmological questions through studies of the growth of large scale structure, baryon acoustic oscillations and Type Ia supernovae. The group will study the experimental challenges to achieving the maximum sensitivity to dark energy through several observational probes, with a focus on gravitational lensing. This effort will be based on analytical and computational techniques, and on detailed simulations of the LSST system. They will contribute to the development of high fidelity simulations and, where appropriate, use existing imaging data to develop and test the understanding of systematic effects that will impact LSST. The work with LSST simulations and astronomical data provides opportunities for students and postdocs to gain skills in statistics, data analysis, and handling large data sets that are in high demand in the private and public sectors. The PI brings her strong targeted efforts in education and advising, aimed at increasing and diversifying the cohort of students who pursue degrees in physics and engineering, and broadening career paths for physicists.

粒子物理学和宇宙学的标准模型是不完整的。粒子内容不包含宇宙中暗物质的可行候选者，并且对暗能量的性质没有充分的解释。粒子物理学和宇宙学领域密不可分。基于加速器的实验、地下深处的探测器以及太空和地面的望远镜都需要并用于探索暗物质的性质等基本问题。引力透镜是一种宇宙学探测器，其优点是对宇宙中的所有物质（重子物质和暗物质）敏感。暗物质结构的生长是暗能量物理学的敏感探针。凭借这一奖项，斯坦福大学小组将通过拟议的大型综合巡天望远镜（LSST）和 LSST 暗能量科学合作，在观测宇宙学的高度优先工作中发挥领导作用。 LSST 是第一个从头开始设计的地面望远镜，旨在满足充分利用弱引力透镜作为宇宙学探测器所需的系统不确定性的严格要求。 LSST 还将通过研究大尺度结构的生长、重子声振荡和 Ia 型超新星来解决宇宙学问题。该小组将研究通过几个观测探测器实现对暗能量最大灵敏度的实验挑战，重点是引力透镜效应。这项工作将基于分析和计算技术以及 LSST 系统的详细模拟。他们将致力于高保真模拟的开发，并在适当的情况下使用现有的成像数据来开发和测试对影响 LSST 的系统效应的理解。 LSST 模拟和天文数据的工作为学生和博士后提供了获得统计、数据分析和处理私营和公共部门急需的大型数据集技能的机会。 PI 在教育和咨询方面做出了强有力的有针对性的努力，旨在增加攻读物理和工程学位的学生群体并使之多样化，并拓宽物理学家的职业道路。