Theory of Large-Scale Structure: Understanding Non-linearities, Bias, and Systematics in the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations as a Probe of Dark Energy

这项研究将开发理论工具，从观测到的高红移星系的功率谱中提取最大的宇宙学信息，获得尺度上的原始光谱，并具有宇宙微波背景研究无法达到的精度。这些结果将对各种计划和拟议的研究产生深远的影响，无论是地面研究还是空间研究。这类关于非线性引力增长和天体物理效应的理论工作是暗能量工作组的主要建议。要开发的工具将考虑到主要的非线性效应：(A)非线性物质群聚；(B)非线性和随机星系偏向；(C)非线性红移空间扭曲。这些效应将是未来星系探测暗能量限制中的主要系统误差。这项工作将提高微扰理论的准确性，并找到可以可靠地使用微扰理论的最大波数。这项工作通过两名研究生参与前沿研究，自然地将研究和教育结合在一起。模拟数据将为本科生提供一个有吸引力的有效工具，为他们提供研究经验。

AST-0807649KomatsuThis study will develop theoretical tools to extract the maximum cosmological information from the observed power spectrum of galaxies at high redshifts, obtaining the primordial spectrum on scales and with accuracies not achievable by studies of the cosmic microwave background. These results will have far-ranging implications for a variety of planned and proposed studies, both ground- and space-based. Theoretical work of this sort on non-linear gravitational growth and astrophysical effects was a primary recommendation of the Dark Energy Task Force. The tools to be developed will take into account the key non-linear effects: (a) non-linear matter clustering, (b) non-linear and stochastic galaxy bias, and (c) non-linear redshift space distortion. These effects will be the dominant systematic errors in future dark energy constraints from galaxy surveys. This project will improve the accuracy of perturbation theory, and find the maximum wave-number below which one can use perturbation theory reliably.The work integrates research and education naturally by involving two graduate students in cutting-edge research. The simulation data will provide an attractive and efficient tool for providing research experiences to undergraduate students.