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

莫莉·斯旺森博士被授予美国国家科学基金会天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在哈佛-史密森天体物理学中心（CfA）开展研究和教育项目。斯旺森博士将利用即将到来的全景巡天望远镜&快速反应系统（Pan-STARRS）和大型综合巡天望远镜（LSST）的星系巡天来研究暗能量和中微子质量的奥秘。基础物理学的差异导致了物质大规模聚集的变化，因此人们可以将宇宙作为粒子物理实验室，通过对大量星系的调查来测量这种聚集。然而，星系形成物理也会影响聚类，这导致测量暗能量和中微子性质的系统不确定性。这个项目将详细了解这些不确定性，并将其应用于即将到来的一代星系调查。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中预期的不确定性。最后，开发分析方法，应用于未来的调查数据，将优化物理结果。当从调查数据中提取有关暗能量和中微子的信息时，主要目标是建立一个分析框架，以解释星系形成物理学。斯旺森还将通过麻省理工学院教育研究项目为波士顿地区的高中生开发和教授宇宙学的丰富课程。她将与CfA科学教育部门合作开发和评估该课程的课程设置，重点是帮助学生利用基于探究的技术，利用MicroObservatory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普遍误解。斯旺森博士将把这些课程材料作为面向全球高中和大学物理和天文学教师的模块公开发布在网上，同时也为任何对宇宙本质感兴趣的人提供互动在线课程。

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.