Luminous Red Galaxies in the SDSS and Beyond: Large-Scale Structure, Dark Energy, and Galaxy Evolution

AST-0407200艾森斯坦这个项目将使用斯隆数字巡天计划(SDSS)中一个专门针对发光早期类型星系的样本，以前所未有的精度探测大尺度的功率谱，并研究这些大质量星系的演化。发光红星系(LRG)样本的体积和均匀性使其在估计大尺度功率谱方面远远优于任何其他现有或计划中的调查，因为LRG具有大致恒定的共同移动数密度。这项研究将把重子声振荡作为一项关键的宇宙学测试，能够以类似于超新星测试的精度量化宇宙的加速度，但使用完全独立和非常干净的方法。SDSS LRG样本还为研究当今宇宙中最大质量的星系提供了巨大的数据集。这种对结构形成和星系等级演化的物理学观点应该会在现代宇宙学的这两个核心问题上取得重要进展。

AST-0407200EisensteinThis project will use a specially targeted sample of luminous early-type galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to probe the power spectrum on large scales to unprecedented accuracy, and to study the evolution of these massive galaxies. The volume and uniformity of the Luminous Red Galaxy (LRG) sample, which has a roughly constant co-moving number density, make it far superior to any other existing or planned survey for estimating the large-scale power spectrum. The research will focus on the baryon acoustic oscillations as a critical cosmological test, capable of quantifying the acceleration of the Universe with a precision similar to the supernova test but using a completely independent and very clean method. The SDSS LRG sample also provides an enormous data set for the study of the most massive galaxies in the universe today. This remarkable view of the physics of structure formation and hierarchical galaxy evolution should yield important progress on these two core issues of modern cosmology.