Investigating Dark Energy and Neutrino Mass with Pan-STARRS and LSST

Molly Swanson博士被授予NSF天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在哈佛-史密森天体物理中心(CFA)开展一项研究和教育计划。斯旺森博士将使用即将到来的全景巡天望远镜和快速反应系统(Pano-STARRS)和大型天气巡天望远镜(LSST)的星系观测来研究暗能量和中微子质量的奥秘。基本物理上的差异会导致物质大规模成团的变化，因此人们可以通过对大量星系进行编目测量来测量这种成团，从而将宇宙用作粒子物理实验室。然而，星系形成物理也影响了星系团，这导致了测量暗能量和中微子性质的系统不确定性。该项目将详细了解这些不确定性，并将它们应用于即将到来的新一代星系调查。使用的方法如下：首先，建立编码星系形成物理的理论模型，并通过与当前的调查和模拟进行比较来验证它们。接下来，使用这些模型来计算未来星系调查的预期不确定性。最后，开发分析方法，应用于未来的调查数据，以优化物理结果。主要目标是建立一个分析框架，在从观测数据中提取有关暗能量和中微子的信息时，解释星系形成的物理过程。斯旺森还将通过麻省理工学院教育研究计划为波士顿地区的高中生开发和教授宇宙学丰富课程。她将与CFA科学教育部合作开发和评估这门课程的课程，重点是帮助学生使用基于探究的技术、使用微型天文台在线望远镜的观测项目以及计算机模拟和可视化来打破对天文学和宇宙学的常见误解。斯旺森博士将在网上公开提供课程材料，供世界各地的高中和大学的物理和天文学教师使用，也将作为一门互动式在线课程，面向任何对我们宇宙的本质感兴趣的人。

Dr. Molly Swanson is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). Dr. Swanson will research the mysteries of dark energy and neutrino mass using the upcoming galaxy surveys of the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). Differences in fundamental physics lead to changes in the large-scale clustering of matter, so one can use the universe as a particle physics laboratory by measuring this clustering with surveys cataloging large numbers of galaxies. However, galaxy formation physics also impacts the clustering, which leads to systematic uncertainties in measuring dark energy and neutrino properties. This project will develop a detailed understanding of these uncertainties and apply them to the upcoming generation of galaxy surveys. The methods used will be as follows: first, build theoretical models encoding galaxy formation physics and test them by comparing to current surveys and simulations. Next, use these models to compute the uncertainties expected from future galaxy surveys. Finally, develop analysis methods to apply to future survey data that will optimize the physics results. The primary objective is an analytical framework to account for galaxy formation physics when extracting information about dark energy and neutrinos from survey data.Dr. Swanson will also develop and teach an enrichment course in cosmology for Boston area high-school students through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Educational Studies Program. She will collaborate with the CfA Science Education Department to develop and assess the curriculum for the course, which will focus on helping students break down commonly-held misconceptions about astonomy and cosmology using inquiry-based techniques, observational projects using the MicroObservatory online telescopes, and computer simulations and visualizations. Dr. Swanson will make the curriculum materials publicly available online as modules for physics and astronomy teachers at high schools and colleges worldwide and also as an interactive online course for anyone who is curious about the nature of our universe.