CODE · Cosmology, Dark matter and dark Energy

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Project objective

Dark matter and dark energy comprise 96% of our Universe and yet we currently know very little about them. The proposed project will address this issue using a new technique, called weak lensing, that is unique as it can detect and measure dark matter and dark energy. We will apply this state-of-the-art tool to the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey (CFHTLS), the deepest wide-field astronomical survey ever undertaken. This world-class survey, lead by the EU host, allows for the first innovative 3D weak lensing analysis. The combination of our 3D lensing CFHTLS analysis with the results from the WMAP CMB experiment, in which the outgoing institute plays a strong role, will allow us to track the evolution of the dark matter distribution and be able to state whether or not dark energy evolves. These very powerful statements will immediately place constraints on the nature of dark matter and dark energy. To corroborate our results we will analyse the largest space-based survey COSMOS where high resolution imaging permits deep 3D lensing analysis.To truly understand dark energy our investigation will need to go one step further. If we find constant dark energy in the present day Universe we will wish to know if dark energy evolved in the early Universe. If we detect changes in the dark energy we will wish to know how the dark energy evolves from the early Universe to today. An important extension is therefore the training in sub-millimetre astronomy, the only tool that can observe the early Universe to answer our key questions about dark energy. The outgoing institute has been pioneering in this young field, building the SCUBA2 instrument that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe. This multidisciplinary international experience that combines lensing with sub-millimetre and CMB science will be very beneficial to the proposed fellow during the return phase when Europe will prepare for its new sub-millimetre and CMB facilities.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE · PARISCoordinatorFrance
• UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · VANCOUVERCanada

Links

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