International Research Fellowship Program: Probing Dark Energy and Neutrinos with Galaxy Surveys

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9到24个月的研究。该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，并利用国外独特或互补的设施、专业知识和实验条件。该奖项将支持Molly Swanson博士与英国伦敦大学学院Sarah Bridle博士合作的为期24个月的研究奖学金。在这个项目中，PI将研究物理学的两个深层次奥秘？暗能量和中微子质量？使用大型星系勘测。基本物理上的差异导致了星系分布中星系团模式的变化。这些模式是通过对大量星系进行编目的调查来测量的，因此宇宙就像一个粒子物理实验室。然而，星系形成的复杂物理也影响了星系团的模式，导致在测量暗能量和中微子的性质方面存在系统的不确定性。这个项目的重点是对这些不确定性进行详细的理解。正在使用的方法包括三个主要步骤：首先，建立编码星系形成物理的理论模型，并通过与当前星系调查和模拟的数据进行比较来检验它们。接下来，使用这些模型来计算未来星系调查中预期的暗能量和中微子属性的精确度和系统不确定性。最后，开发可应用于未来调查数据的分析方法，以优化这些科学目标的结果。这个项目的预期结果是一个分析框架，可以用来解释星系形成物理，从调查数据中提取关于暗能量和中微子的信息。此外，PI将积极参与伦敦大学学院天体物理学公共推广活动：在当地学校演讲，协助伦敦大学磨坊山天文台为普通公众举办的参观和特别活动，以及为课堂观测项目开发材料。

0754357SwansonThe International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support a twenty-four month research fellowship by Dr. Molly Swanson to work with Dr. Sarah Bridle at University College London in the UK.In this project, the PI will research two deep mysteries of physics ? dark energy and neutrino mass ? using large galaxy surveys. Differences in fundamental physics lead to changes in the clustering patterns in the galaxy distribution. These patterns are measured by surveys that catalog vast numbers of galaxies, thus the universe as a particle physics laboratory. However, the complicated physics of galaxy formation impacts the clustering patterns as well, leading to systematic uncertainties in measuring the properties of dark energy and neutrinos. This project focuses on developing a detailed understanding of these uncertainties. The approach being used consists of three main steps: First, build theoretical models that encode the galaxy formation physics and test them by comparing to data from current galaxy surveys and from simulations. Next, use these models to compute the precision and systematic uncertainties for dark energy and neutrino properties expected from future galaxy surveys. Finally, develop analysis methods that can be applied to future survey data that will optimize the results for these science goals. The expected outcome of this project is an analytical framework that can be used to account for galaxy formation physics when extracting information about dark energy and neutrinos from survey data.Additionally, the PI will be actively involved in UCL Astrophysics public outreach activities: giving talks at local schools, assisting with tours and special events for the general public at the University of London Mill Hill Observatory, and developing materials for classroom observational projects.