Project acronym 4PI-SKY
Project 4 pi sky: Extreme Astrophysics with Revolutionary Radio Telescopes
Researcher (PI) Robert Philip Fender
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE9, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary Extreme astrophysical events such as relativistic flows, cataclysmic explosions and black hole accretion are one of the key areas for astrophysics in the 21st century. The extremes of physics experienced in these environments are beyond anything achievable in any laboratory on Earth, and provide a unique glimpse at the laws of physics operating in extraordinary regimes. All of these events are associated with transient radio emission, a tracer both of the acceleration of particles to relativistic energies, and coherent emitting regions with huge effective temperatures. By studying radio bursts from these phenomena we can pinpoint the sources of explosive events, understand the budget of kinetic feedback by explosive events in the ambient medium, and probe the physical state of the universe back to the epoch of reionisation, less than a billion years after the big bang. In seeking to push back the frontiers of extreme astrophysics, I will use a trio of revolutionary new radio telescopes, LOFAR, ASKAP and MeerKAT, pathfinders for the Square Kilometre Array, and all facilities in which I have a major role in the search for transients. I will build an infrastructure which transforms their combined operations for the discovery, classification and reporting of transient astrophysical events, over the whole sky, making them much more than the sum of their parts. This will include development of environments for the coordinated handling of extreme astrophysical events, in real time, via automated systems, as well as novel techniques for the detection of these events in a sea of noise. I will furthermore augment this program by buying in as a major partner to a rapid-response robotic optical telescope, and by cementing my relationship with an orbiting X-ray facility. This multiwavelength dimension will secure the astrophysical interpretation of our observational results and help to revolutionise high-energy astrophysics via a strong scientific exploitation program.
Summary
Extreme astrophysical events such as relativistic flows, cataclysmic explosions and black hole accretion are one of the key areas for astrophysics in the 21st century. The extremes of physics experienced in these environments are beyond anything achievable in any laboratory on Earth, and provide a unique glimpse at the laws of physics operating in extraordinary regimes. All of these events are associated with transient radio emission, a tracer both of the acceleration of particles to relativistic energies, and coherent emitting regions with huge effective temperatures. By studying radio bursts from these phenomena we can pinpoint the sources of explosive events, understand the budget of kinetic feedback by explosive events in the ambient medium, and probe the physical state of the universe back to the epoch of reionisation, less than a billion years after the big bang. In seeking to push back the frontiers of extreme astrophysics, I will use a trio of revolutionary new radio telescopes, LOFAR, ASKAP and MeerKAT, pathfinders for the Square Kilometre Array, and all facilities in which I have a major role in the search for transients. I will build an infrastructure which transforms their combined operations for the discovery, classification and reporting of transient astrophysical events, over the whole sky, making them much more than the sum of their parts. This will include development of environments for the coordinated handling of extreme astrophysical events, in real time, via automated systems, as well as novel techniques for the detection of these events in a sea of noise. I will furthermore augment this program by buying in as a major partner to a rapid-response robotic optical telescope, and by cementing my relationship with an orbiting X-ray facility. This multiwavelength dimension will secure the astrophysical interpretation of our observational results and help to revolutionise high-energy astrophysics via a strong scientific exploitation program.
Max ERC Funding
2 999 847 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-07-01, End date: 2017-06-30
Project acronym ANISOTROPIC UNIVERSE
Project The anisotropic universe -- a reality or fluke?
Researcher (PI) Hans Kristian Kamfjord Eriksen
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITETET I OSLO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2010-StG_20091028
Summary "During the last decade, a strikingly successful cosmological concordance model has been established. With only six free parameters, nearly all observables, comprising millions of data points, may be fitted with outstanding precision. However, in this beautiful picture a few ""blemishes"" have turned up, apparently not consistent with the standard model: While the model predicts that the universe is isotropic (i.e., looks the same in all directions) and homogeneous (i.e., the statistical properties are the same everywhere), subtle hints of the contrary are now seen. For instance, peculiar preferred directions and correlations are observed in the cosmic microwave background; some studies considering nearby galaxies suggest the existence of anomalous large-scale cosmic flows; a study of distant quasars hints towards unexpected large-scale correlations. All of these reports are individually highly intriguing, and together they hint toward a more complicated and interesting universe than previously imagined -- but none of the reports can be considered decisive. One major obstacle in many cases has been the relatively poor data quality.
This is currently about to change, as the next generation of new and far more powerful experiments are coming online. Of special interest to me are Planck, an ESA-funded CMB satellite currently taking data; QUIET, a ground-based CMB polarization experiment located in Chile; and various large-scale structure (LSS) data sets, such as the SDSS and 2dF surveys, and in the future Euclid, a proposed galaxy survey satellite also funded by ESA. By combining the world s best data from both CMB and LSS measurements, I will in the proposed project attempt to settle this question: Is our universe really anisotropic? Or are these recent claims only the results of systematic errors or statistical flukes? If the claims turn out to hold against this tide of new and high-quality data, then cosmology as a whole may need to be re-written."
Summary
"During the last decade, a strikingly successful cosmological concordance model has been established. With only six free parameters, nearly all observables, comprising millions of data points, may be fitted with outstanding precision. However, in this beautiful picture a few ""blemishes"" have turned up, apparently not consistent with the standard model: While the model predicts that the universe is isotropic (i.e., looks the same in all directions) and homogeneous (i.e., the statistical properties are the same everywhere), subtle hints of the contrary are now seen. For instance, peculiar preferred directions and correlations are observed in the cosmic microwave background; some studies considering nearby galaxies suggest the existence of anomalous large-scale cosmic flows; a study of distant quasars hints towards unexpected large-scale correlations. All of these reports are individually highly intriguing, and together they hint toward a more complicated and interesting universe than previously imagined -- but none of the reports can be considered decisive. One major obstacle in many cases has been the relatively poor data quality.
This is currently about to change, as the next generation of new and far more powerful experiments are coming online. Of special interest to me are Planck, an ESA-funded CMB satellite currently taking data; QUIET, a ground-based CMB polarization experiment located in Chile; and various large-scale structure (LSS) data sets, such as the SDSS and 2dF surveys, and in the future Euclid, a proposed galaxy survey satellite also funded by ESA. By combining the world s best data from both CMB and LSS measurements, I will in the proposed project attempt to settle this question: Is our universe really anisotropic? Or are these recent claims only the results of systematic errors or statistical flukes? If the claims turn out to hold against this tide of new and high-quality data, then cosmology as a whole may need to be re-written."
Max ERC Funding
1 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-01-01, End date: 2015-12-31
Project acronym ASTERISK
Project ASTERoseismic Investigations with SONG and Kepler
Researcher (PI) Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard
Host Institution (HI) AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE9, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary The project aims at a breakthrough in our understanding of stellar evolution, by combining advanced observations of stellar oscillations with state-of-the-art modelling of stars. This will largely be based on very extensive and precise data on stellar oscillations from the NASA Kepler mission launched in March 2009, but additional high-quality data will also be included. In particular, my group is developing the global SONG network for observations of stellar oscillations. These observational efforts will be supplemented by sophisticated modelling of stellar evolution, and by the development of asteroseismic tools to use the observations to probe stellar interiors. This will lead to a far more reliable determination of stellar ages, and hence ages of other astrophysical objects; it will compare the properties of the Sun with other stars and hence provide an understanding of the life history of the Sun; it will investigate the physical processes that control stellar properties, both at the level of the thermodynamical properties of stellar plasmas and the hydrodynamical instabilities that play a central role in stellar evolution; and it will characterize central stars in extra-solar planetary systems, determining the size and age of the star and hence constrain the evolution of the planetary systems. The Kepler data will be analysed in a large international collaboration coordinated by our group. The SONG network, which will become partially operational during the present project, will yield even detailed information about the conditions in the interior of stars, allowing tests of subtle but central aspects of the physics of stellar interiors. The projects involve the organization of a central data archive for asteroseismic data, at the Royal Library, Copenhagen.
Summary
The project aims at a breakthrough in our understanding of stellar evolution, by combining advanced observations of stellar oscillations with state-of-the-art modelling of stars. This will largely be based on very extensive and precise data on stellar oscillations from the NASA Kepler mission launched in March 2009, but additional high-quality data will also be included. In particular, my group is developing the global SONG network for observations of stellar oscillations. These observational efforts will be supplemented by sophisticated modelling of stellar evolution, and by the development of asteroseismic tools to use the observations to probe stellar interiors. This will lead to a far more reliable determination of stellar ages, and hence ages of other astrophysical objects; it will compare the properties of the Sun with other stars and hence provide an understanding of the life history of the Sun; it will investigate the physical processes that control stellar properties, both at the level of the thermodynamical properties of stellar plasmas and the hydrodynamical instabilities that play a central role in stellar evolution; and it will characterize central stars in extra-solar planetary systems, determining the size and age of the star and hence constrain the evolution of the planetary systems. The Kepler data will be analysed in a large international collaboration coordinated by our group. The SONG network, which will become partially operational during the present project, will yield even detailed information about the conditions in the interior of stars, allowing tests of subtle but central aspects of the physics of stellar interiors. The projects involve the organization of a central data archive for asteroseismic data, at the Royal Library, Copenhagen.
Max ERC Funding
2 498 149 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-04-01, End date: 2016-03-31
Project acronym BLAST
Project Eclipsing binary stars as cutting edge laboratories for astrophysics of stellar
structure, stellar evolution and planet formation
Researcher (PI) Maciej Konacki
Host Institution (HI) CENTRUM ASTRONOMICZNE IM. MIKOLAJAKOPERNIKA POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2010-StG_20091028
Summary Spectroscopic binary stars (SB2s) and in particular spectroscopic eclipsing binaries are one of the most useful objects in astrophysics. Their photometric and spectroscopic observations allow one to determine basic parameters of stars and carry out a wide range of tests of stellar structure, evolution and dynamics. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, they can also contribute to our understanding of the formation and evolution of (extrasolar) planets. We will study eclipsing binary stars by combining the classic - stellar astronomy - and the modern - extrasolar planets - subjects into a cutting edge project.
We propose to search for and subsequently characterize circumbinary planets around ~350 eclipsing SB2s using our own novel cutting edge radial velocity technique for binary stars and a modern version of the photometry based eclipse timing of eclipsing binary stars employing 0.5-m robotic telescopes. We will also derive basic parameters of up to ~700 stars (~350 binaries) with an unprecedented precision. In particular for about 50% of our sample we expect to deliver masses of the components with an accuracy ~10-100 times better than the current state of the art.
Our project will provide unique constraints for the theories of planet formation and evolution and an unprecedented in quality set of the basic parameters of stars to test the theories of the stellar structure and evolution.
Summary
Spectroscopic binary stars (SB2s) and in particular spectroscopic eclipsing binaries are one of the most useful objects in astrophysics. Their photometric and spectroscopic observations allow one to determine basic parameters of stars and carry out a wide range of tests of stellar structure, evolution and dynamics. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, they can also contribute to our understanding of the formation and evolution of (extrasolar) planets. We will study eclipsing binary stars by combining the classic - stellar astronomy - and the modern - extrasolar planets - subjects into a cutting edge project.
We propose to search for and subsequently characterize circumbinary planets around ~350 eclipsing SB2s using our own novel cutting edge radial velocity technique for binary stars and a modern version of the photometry based eclipse timing of eclipsing binary stars employing 0.5-m robotic telescopes. We will also derive basic parameters of up to ~700 stars (~350 binaries) with an unprecedented precision. In particular for about 50% of our sample we expect to deliver masses of the components with an accuracy ~10-100 times better than the current state of the art.
Our project will provide unique constraints for the theories of planet formation and evolution and an unprecedented in quality set of the basic parameters of stars to test the theories of the stellar structure and evolution.
Max ERC Funding
1 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-12-01, End date: 2016-11-30
Project acronym CAMAP
Project CAMAP: Computer Aided Modeling for Astrophysical Plasmas
Researcher (PI) Miguel-Ángel Aloy-Torás
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2010-StG_20091028
Summary This project will be aimed at obtaining a deeper insight into the physical processes taking place in astrophysical magnetized plasmas. To study these scenarios I will employ different numerical codes as virtual tools that enable me to experiment on computers (virtual labs) with distinct initial and boundary conditions. Among the kind of sources I am interested to consider, I outline the following: Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), extragalactic jets from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), magnetars and collapsing stellar cores. A number of important questions are still open regarding the fundamental properties of these astrophysical sources (e.g., collimation, acceleration mechanism, composition, high-energy emission, gravitational wave signature). Additionally, there are analytical issues on the formalism in relativistic dynamics not resolved yet, e.g., the covariant extension of resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). All these problems are so complex that only a computational approach is feasible. I plan to study them by means of relativistic and Newtonian MHD numerical simulations. A principal focus of the project will be to assess the relevance of magnetic fields in the generation, collimation and ulterior propagation of relativistic jets from the GRB progenitors and from AGNs. More generally, I will pursue the goal of understanding the process of amplification of seed magnetic fields until they become dynamically relevant, e.g., using semi-global and local simulations of representative boxes of collapsed stellar cores. A big emphasis will be put on including all the relevant microphysics (e.g. neutrino physics), non-ideal effects (particularly, reconnection physics) and energy transport due to neutrinos and photons to account for the relevant processes in the former systems. A milestone of this project will be to end up with a numerical tool that enables us to deal with General Relativistic Radiation Magnetohydrodynamics problems in Astrophysics.
Summary
This project will be aimed at obtaining a deeper insight into the physical processes taking place in astrophysical magnetized plasmas. To study these scenarios I will employ different numerical codes as virtual tools that enable me to experiment on computers (virtual labs) with distinct initial and boundary conditions. Among the kind of sources I am interested to consider, I outline the following: Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), extragalactic jets from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), magnetars and collapsing stellar cores. A number of important questions are still open regarding the fundamental properties of these astrophysical sources (e.g., collimation, acceleration mechanism, composition, high-energy emission, gravitational wave signature). Additionally, there are analytical issues on the formalism in relativistic dynamics not resolved yet, e.g., the covariant extension of resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). All these problems are so complex that only a computational approach is feasible. I plan to study them by means of relativistic and Newtonian MHD numerical simulations. A principal focus of the project will be to assess the relevance of magnetic fields in the generation, collimation and ulterior propagation of relativistic jets from the GRB progenitors and from AGNs. More generally, I will pursue the goal of understanding the process of amplification of seed magnetic fields until they become dynamically relevant, e.g., using semi-global and local simulations of representative boxes of collapsed stellar cores. A big emphasis will be put on including all the relevant microphysics (e.g. neutrino physics), non-ideal effects (particularly, reconnection physics) and energy transport due to neutrinos and photons to account for the relevant processes in the former systems. A milestone of this project will be to end up with a numerical tool that enables us to deal with General Relativistic Radiation Magnetohydrodynamics problems in Astrophysics.
Max ERC Funding
1 497 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-03-01, End date: 2017-02-28
Project acronym COSMIC-LAB
Project Star clusters as cosmic laboratories for Astrophysics, Dynamics and Fundamental Physics
Researcher (PI) Francesco Ferraro
Host Institution (HI) ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE9, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary "Galactic Globular Clusters (GCs) are the most populous, old and dense stellar systems in the Galaxy. Their study addresses fundamental astrophysical questions, ranging from the Galaxy formation, to stellar evolution and dynamics. With Cosmic-Lab we intend to use these natural laboratories to perform three original experiments which will have a major impact on several areas of modern Physics and Astrophysics. To this aim we will adopt as test particles three classes of ""exotica"" (namely blue stragglers - BSS, millisecond pulsars -MSPs, and intermediate-mass black holes -IMBHs):
Exp 1 - ""Toward the definition of a dynamical clock for stellar systems"". By exploiting our exceptional multi-wavelength database, we propose to use the observed properties of BSS for defining an innovative tool to measure the degree of dynamical evolution of collisional stellar systems.
Exp 2 - ""Hunting for the most massive neutron stars (NSs): probing the equation of state of matter at nuclear densities"" - We propose to search for the companion stars to binary MSPs in a selected sample of GCs thus to exploit the unique opportunity offered by these systems to measure the NS masses. This will finally allow us to determine the upper limit to the NS mass and tightly constrain the equation of state of matter at the nuclear equilibrium density.
Exp 3 - ""IMBHs: the missing link in the formation of cosmic structures"" - We propose to use a set of non-conventional data-analysis procedures developed by our group in order to unveil IMBHs at the center of GCs. Proving the existence of these objects is crucial for understanding the formation of super-massive BHs, which are observed at the centre of all massive galaxies at any redshift, with a major impact on the comprehension of the formation and evolution of cosmic structures."
Summary
"Galactic Globular Clusters (GCs) are the most populous, old and dense stellar systems in the Galaxy. Their study addresses fundamental astrophysical questions, ranging from the Galaxy formation, to stellar evolution and dynamics. With Cosmic-Lab we intend to use these natural laboratories to perform three original experiments which will have a major impact on several areas of modern Physics and Astrophysics. To this aim we will adopt as test particles three classes of ""exotica"" (namely blue stragglers - BSS, millisecond pulsars -MSPs, and intermediate-mass black holes -IMBHs):
Exp 1 - ""Toward the definition of a dynamical clock for stellar systems"". By exploiting our exceptional multi-wavelength database, we propose to use the observed properties of BSS for defining an innovative tool to measure the degree of dynamical evolution of collisional stellar systems.
Exp 2 - ""Hunting for the most massive neutron stars (NSs): probing the equation of state of matter at nuclear densities"" - We propose to search for the companion stars to binary MSPs in a selected sample of GCs thus to exploit the unique opportunity offered by these systems to measure the NS masses. This will finally allow us to determine the upper limit to the NS mass and tightly constrain the equation of state of matter at the nuclear equilibrium density.
Exp 3 - ""IMBHs: the missing link in the formation of cosmic structures"" - We propose to use a set of non-conventional data-analysis procedures developed by our group in order to unveil IMBHs at the center of GCs. Proving the existence of these objects is crucial for understanding the formation of super-massive BHs, which are observed at the centre of all massive galaxies at any redshift, with a major impact on the comprehension of the formation and evolution of cosmic structures."
Max ERC Funding
1 880 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-05-01, End date: 2016-04-30
Project acronym COSMIWAY
Project From the Milky Way to the cosmic large-scale structure
Researcher (PI) Carlos Silvestre Frenk
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE9, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary Wide field panoramic telescopes will become a major force in astronomy over the next decade. They will address a rich set of scientific problems, from ``killer asteroids'' to the cosmic dark energy. Pan-STARRS-1 (PS1), built by the University of Hawaii, is the first of this new generation of telescopes. European astronomers in Germany and the UK, including in the PI's host institute, make up a large fraction of the Science Consortium that, over the next 4 years, will exploit the data. This proposal is focused on the use of PS1 for cosmology. I propose a programme that combines state-of-the-art cosmological simulations and modelling with high-level analyses of the data. The goal is to test core assumptions of the standard cosmogonic model, LCDM, on scales and at epochs where it has not been tested before and where it can, in principle, be ruled out. At the same time, these tests will advance our understanding of the main constituents of our universe (dark matter and dark energy) and of the processes of galaxy formation and evolution. Two types of structure at opposite ends of the cosmological scale, the Milky Way and the large-scale distribution of galaxies at redshifts z<1.5, are ideally suited to this purpose. Studies of the Milky Way will test LCDM predictions for the hierarchical assembly of galaxies and the structure of their dark matter halos. Studies of the galaxy distribution will test LCDM predictions for the growth of structure and the connection between galaxies and dark matter. To link theory and data, I will construct mock catalogues using very large cosmological simulations and sophisticated modelling techniques. These catalogues will have a much broader applicability that just PS1 and I will make them publicly available using e-science techniques.
Summary
Wide field panoramic telescopes will become a major force in astronomy over the next decade. They will address a rich set of scientific problems, from ``killer asteroids'' to the cosmic dark energy. Pan-STARRS-1 (PS1), built by the University of Hawaii, is the first of this new generation of telescopes. European astronomers in Germany and the UK, including in the PI's host institute, make up a large fraction of the Science Consortium that, over the next 4 years, will exploit the data. This proposal is focused on the use of PS1 for cosmology. I propose a programme that combines state-of-the-art cosmological simulations and modelling with high-level analyses of the data. The goal is to test core assumptions of the standard cosmogonic model, LCDM, on scales and at epochs where it has not been tested before and where it can, in principle, be ruled out. At the same time, these tests will advance our understanding of the main constituents of our universe (dark matter and dark energy) and of the processes of galaxy formation and evolution. Two types of structure at opposite ends of the cosmological scale, the Milky Way and the large-scale distribution of galaxies at redshifts z<1.5, are ideally suited to this purpose. Studies of the Milky Way will test LCDM predictions for the hierarchical assembly of galaxies and the structure of their dark matter halos. Studies of the galaxy distribution will test LCDM predictions for the growth of structure and the connection between galaxies and dark matter. To link theory and data, I will construct mock catalogues using very large cosmological simulations and sophisticated modelling techniques. These catalogues will have a much broader applicability that just PS1 and I will make them publicly available using e-science techniques.
Max ERC Funding
2 266 850 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-05-01, End date: 2017-04-30
Project acronym COSMOIGM
Project The Intergalactic Medium as a Cosmological Tool
Researcher (PI) Matteo Viel
Host Institution (HI) ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI ASTROFISICA
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2010-StG_20091028
Summary The cosmoIGM proposal aims at investigating the role of the Intergalactic Medium (IGM) as a cosmological probe and at exploiting the many IGM-related sinergies between observational cosmology, galaxy formation and fundamental physics. The IGM is a unique cosmological observable as it probes 3/4 of the present age of the universe, it contains up to 80% of the baryons and is sensitive to scales that are not measured by other data. In the last decade, astronomical data sets have started to be widely used by the scientific community to address important physical issues such as: the nature of the dark matter and dark energy components and their evolution; the physical properties of the baryonic matter; variation of fundamental constants; feedback processes by galaxies, etc. For example, results obtained from astronomical data are nowadays comparable to those obtained by ground based physics laboratories (e.g. neutrino masses). This proposal will rely on observations of the IGM at high and low redshift and will interpret them by means of state-of-the-art computational facilities in order to firmly establish the (yet controversial) role of the IGM as a probe for cosmology and fundamental physics. Moreover, we aim at exploring the galaxy-IGM interplay at a crucial stage of the cosmic history when the universe was few Gyrs old and star forming galaxies were strongly affecting the dynamical, thermal and chemical properties of the IGM. The hosting institution, Trieste Observatory, and the Trieste Area (ICTP, SISSA and Trieste University) have a long-standing expertise on the topics above. We foresee that the present interdisciplinary proposal will have a strong scientific impact and will help the P.I. to consolidate its independence and to create his first research team.
Summary
The cosmoIGM proposal aims at investigating the role of the Intergalactic Medium (IGM) as a cosmological probe and at exploiting the many IGM-related sinergies between observational cosmology, galaxy formation and fundamental physics. The IGM is a unique cosmological observable as it probes 3/4 of the present age of the universe, it contains up to 80% of the baryons and is sensitive to scales that are not measured by other data. In the last decade, astronomical data sets have started to be widely used by the scientific community to address important physical issues such as: the nature of the dark matter and dark energy components and their evolution; the physical properties of the baryonic matter; variation of fundamental constants; feedback processes by galaxies, etc. For example, results obtained from astronomical data are nowadays comparable to those obtained by ground based physics laboratories (e.g. neutrino masses). This proposal will rely on observations of the IGM at high and low redshift and will interpret them by means of state-of-the-art computational facilities in order to firmly establish the (yet controversial) role of the IGM as a probe for cosmology and fundamental physics. Moreover, we aim at exploring the galaxy-IGM interplay at a crucial stage of the cosmic history when the universe was few Gyrs old and star forming galaxies were strongly affecting the dynamical, thermal and chemical properties of the IGM. The hosting institution, Trieste Observatory, and the Trieste Area (ICTP, SISSA and Trieste University) have a long-standing expertise on the topics above. We foresee that the present interdisciplinary proposal will have a strong scientific impact and will help the P.I. to consolidate its independence and to create his first research team.
Max ERC Funding
891 400 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-12-01, End date: 2016-11-30
Project acronym DARK
Project Dark Matters
Researcher (PI) Joseph Ivor Silk
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITE PIERRE ET MARIE CURIE - PARIS 6
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE9, ERC-2010-AdG_20100224
Summary This interdisciplinary proposal spans theoretical astrophysics and particle physics by addressing the need to provide astrophysical expertise to the particle astrophysics community in the area of dark matter and dark energy research. A new dialogue will be developed via collaborations involving expertise in astronomy, statistics and particle physics that centre on fundamental aspects of the nature of the contents of the universe. Theoretical predictions will be refined to pursue the quest for dark matter using novel experiments designed to detect the direct signatures of dark matter in our galactic halo via scattering and indirect via annihilations into high energy particles and photons. Dark matter and dark energy will be studied by cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations and structure formation constraints. The former probe is contaminated by inadequately understood foregrounds that will be examined to extract clues to new physics in the very early universe, an especially timely research frontier in view of the anticipated data from the Planck satellite. The latter is rendered difficult by the highly complex interface of star and galaxy formation. This will be studied by emphasizing development of feedback prescriptions, an ingredient that plays a central role in the current paradigm for galaxy formation and complements ultradeep searches with the new generation of telescopes. The overall goal, namely to leverage via theory on the unprecedented experimental efforts that are underway to address dark sector issues in the emerging field of particle astrophysics, is achievable at relatively modest cost.
Summary
This interdisciplinary proposal spans theoretical astrophysics and particle physics by addressing the need to provide astrophysical expertise to the particle astrophysics community in the area of dark matter and dark energy research. A new dialogue will be developed via collaborations involving expertise in astronomy, statistics and particle physics that centre on fundamental aspects of the nature of the contents of the universe. Theoretical predictions will be refined to pursue the quest for dark matter using novel experiments designed to detect the direct signatures of dark matter in our galactic halo via scattering and indirect via annihilations into high energy particles and photons. Dark matter and dark energy will be studied by cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations and structure formation constraints. The former probe is contaminated by inadequately understood foregrounds that will be examined to extract clues to new physics in the very early universe, an especially timely research frontier in view of the anticipated data from the Planck satellite. The latter is rendered difficult by the highly complex interface of star and galaxy formation. This will be studied by emphasizing development of feedback prescriptions, an ingredient that plays a central role in the current paradigm for galaxy formation and complements ultradeep searches with the new generation of telescopes. The overall goal, namely to leverage via theory on the unprecedented experimental efforts that are underway to address dark sector issues in the emerging field of particle astrophysics, is achievable at relatively modest cost.
Max ERC Funding
2 499 990 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-06-01, End date: 2017-05-31
Project acronym DEGAS
Project Deciphering the Evolution of Galaxies and the Assembly of Structure: Probing the Growth of Non-Linear Structure in the Dark Universe with Statistical Analyses of Galaxy Surveys
Researcher (PI) Iohn Peder Ragnar Norberg
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2010-StG_20091028
Summary I propose to measure the growth of non-linear structure in the dark universe to answer two fundamental questions in cosmology: Is the Cold Dark Matter structure formation theory compatible with the galaxy distribution on group scales? Is the accelerating expansion of the Universe caused by Dark Energy? This frontier research probes two key components of our standard cosmological model. This study is fundamental for understanding structure formation and galaxy evolution, leading to possible ground-breaking changes in our comprehension of gravitational physics.
I will tackle this ambitious research plan by exploiting my extensive knowledge of galaxy survey analyses and propose to critically test our standard model by measuring three key properties: the shape and evolution of the Cold Dark Matter halo mass function; the efficiency of galaxy formation in Local Group sized systems; the evolution of the growth of structure. To achieve those decisive goals, I will build the DEGAS Team, an inter-disciplinary unit dedicated to solve photometric and spectroscopic survey systematics, to develop optimal clustering statistics for imaging surveys and to create a large variety of state-of-the-art mock Universes to interpret the statistical analyses. The techniques developed will be applied to two world-leading galaxy surveys: GAMA, a multi-wavelength redshift survey of which I am a founder and co-PI, and Pan-STARRS PS1, a unique 3/4-sky imaging survey. Using innovative clustering statistics accounting for individual photometric redshift distributions and statistically robust methods for halo mass function estimates, my DEGAS Team will provide the ultimate test for structure formation models, gain key insights on galaxy evolution and present novel constraints on the nature of gravity.
Summary
I propose to measure the growth of non-linear structure in the dark universe to answer two fundamental questions in cosmology: Is the Cold Dark Matter structure formation theory compatible with the galaxy distribution on group scales? Is the accelerating expansion of the Universe caused by Dark Energy? This frontier research probes two key components of our standard cosmological model. This study is fundamental for understanding structure formation and galaxy evolution, leading to possible ground-breaking changes in our comprehension of gravitational physics.
I will tackle this ambitious research plan by exploiting my extensive knowledge of galaxy survey analyses and propose to critically test our standard model by measuring three key properties: the shape and evolution of the Cold Dark Matter halo mass function; the efficiency of galaxy formation in Local Group sized systems; the evolution of the growth of structure. To achieve those decisive goals, I will build the DEGAS Team, an inter-disciplinary unit dedicated to solve photometric and spectroscopic survey systematics, to develop optimal clustering statistics for imaging surveys and to create a large variety of state-of-the-art mock Universes to interpret the statistical analyses. The techniques developed will be applied to two world-leading galaxy surveys: GAMA, a multi-wavelength redshift survey of which I am a founder and co-PI, and Pan-STARRS PS1, a unique 3/4-sky imaging survey. Using innovative clustering statistics accounting for individual photometric redshift distributions and statistically robust methods for halo mass function estimates, my DEGAS Team will provide the ultimate test for structure formation models, gain key insights on galaxy evolution and present novel constraints on the nature of gravity.
Max ERC Funding
1 256 696 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-01-01, End date: 2016-12-31
