Cosmology with active galactic nuclei

该提案要求在4年内每年投入20200美元，利用类星体和射电星系追踪宇宙中最大规模的结构。这些发光的物体，被称为“活动星系核”，可以看到可观测宇宙的极限，现在红移> 6。射电辐射不受尘埃的影响，因此与光学选择的物体不同，它们的真实分布可以被绘制出来。我们现在在无线电和光学波长（FIRST，NVSS，2dF，SDSS）上进行了大量的调查，产生了数百万个物体的目录。我和我的同事们已经迈出了第一步，展示了如何利用这些数据来使用AGN作为星系组织的大规模示踪剂。在这个过程中，我们假设了类星体和射电星系之间的“统一模型”关系-如果它们被用作宇宙探测器，这是至关重要的。因此，类星体和射电星系之间的这种相互关系现在需要用最佳的统计技术进行严格的检验。正在制定这些标准。目前的建议描述了我和我的学生正在进行的三项进一步研究--综合萨克斯-沃尔夫效应的研究，布莱克和我在2002年首次测量的离散星系宇宙偶极子的改进定义，以及在43 GHz极端无线电频率下对有限天空调查的分析。如果新开发的统计技术同意统一模型有效，我们就有能力独立于光学、红外和X射线发现来计算星系分布，所有这些都受到尘埃遮蔽的挑战。因此，我们将能够对现在流行的奇怪的宇宙“共识”模型提供独立的验证或其他方式，其中能量密度是我们所知道和喜爱的2%重子，而其余的是30%未知形式的暗物质和70%未知类型的暗能量。

This proposal is for $20200 pa over 4 years to trace the largest-scale structures in the Universe using quasars and radio galaxies. These luminous objects, known as 'Active Galactic Nuclei' can be seen to the limits of the observable universe, now to redshifts > 6. Radio emission is unaffected by dust so that unlike optically-selected objects, their true distribution may be mapped. We now have vast surveys at radio and optical wavelengths (FIRST, NVSS, 2dF, SDSS) producing catalogues of millions of objects. My colleagues and I have taken first steps in demonstrating how to exploit these data to use AGN as large-scale tracers of galaxy organization. In the process we assumed the 'unified model' relation between quasars and radio galaxies - and this is crucial if they are to be used as cosmic probes. Accordingly this interrelation between quasars and radio galaxies now requires critical examination, with optimum statistical techniques. Development of these is in progress. The current proposal describes three further investigations in which my students and I are engaged  - an examination of the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, an improved definition of the discrete-galaxy cosmic dipole first measured by Blake and myself in 2002, and the analysis of a limited sky survey at the extreme radio frequency of 43 GHz. If newly-developed statistical techniques agree that unified models work, we have the ability to work out galaxy distributions independently of the optical, IR, and X-ray findings, all challenged by dust obscuration. We shall therefore be able to lend independent verification or otherwise to the strange 'consensus' model of the universe now prevelant, the one in which the Energy Density is 2 percent baryons that we know and love, while the rest is 30 per cent  Dark Matter of unknown form combined with 70 per cent Dark Energy of unknown type.