Andrew Yee[_1_]
January 17th 08, 12:00 AM
ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY PRESS INFORMATION NOTE
CONTACTS
Professor Carlos Frenk
Director of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, is available for
interview on Thursday, January 10, 1.30pm to 7pm (GMT), and Friday, January
11, 9am to 5pm (GMT), tel: +44 (0) 191 334 3641
Or
Durham University Media Office
tel: +44 (0) 191 334 6075
EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 GMT, FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 2008
RAS PN 08/03
SUPERCOMPUTER COULD THROW LIGHT ON DARK ENERGY
Cosmologists at Durham University's world-leading Institute for
Computational Cosmology (ICC) have run a series of huge computer simulations
of the Universe that could help solve one of astronomy's greatest mysteries.
The results tell researchers how to measure dark energy -- a force that
counteracts gravity and could decide the ultimate fate of the cosmos.
The findings, to be published on Friday, 11 January in the Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Society, will also provide vital input into the
design of a proposed satellite mission called SPACE -- the SPectroscopic
All-sky Cosmic Explorer -- that could unveil the nature of dark energy.
The discovery of dark energy in 1998 was completely unexpected and
understanding its nature is one of the biggest problems in physics.
Scientists believe that dark energy, which makes up 70 per cent of the
Universe, is driving its accelerating expansion. If this expansion continues
to accelerate experts say it could eventually lead to a Big Freeze as the
Universe is pulled apart and becomes a vast cold expanse of dying stars and
black holes.
The simulations, which took 11 days to run on Durham's unique Cosmology
Machine (COSMA) computer, looked at tiny ripples in the distribution of
matter in the Universe made by sound waves a few hundred thousand years
after the Big Bang. The ripples are delicate and some have been destroyed
over the subsequent 13 billion years of the Universe, but the simulations
showed they survived in certain conditions.
By changing the nature of dark energy in the simulations, the researchers
discovered that the ripples appeared to change in length and could act as a
"standard ruler" in the measurement of dark energy.
ICC Director Professor Carlos Frenk said: "The ripples are a 'gold
standard'. By comparing the size of the measured ripples to the gold
standard we can work out how the Universe has expanded and from this figure
out the properties of the dark energy.
"Astronomers are stuck with the one universe we live in. However, the
simulations allow us to experiment with what might have happened if there
had been more or less dark energy in the universe."
In the next five to 10 years a number of experiments are planned to explore
dark energy. The Durham simulation has demonstrated the feasibility of the
SPACE satellite mission proposed to the European Space Agency's (ESA) Cosmic
Vision programme.
The project has been put forward by an international consortium of
researchers including the Durham team.
SPACE, which is led by Bologna University, in Italy, is through to the next
round of assessment by the ESA and if successful is planned to launch in
2017.
Co-principal investigator Professor Andrea Cimatti, of Bologna University,
said: "Thanks to the ICC simulations it is possible to predict what SPACE
would observe and to plan how to develop the mission parameters in order to
obtain a three-dimensional map of the Universe and to compare it with the
predictions of the simulations.
"Thanks to this comparison it will be possible to unveil the nature of dark
energy and to understand how the structures in the Universe built up and
evolved with cosmic time."
The Durham research was funded by the Science and Technology Facilities
Council (STFC) and the European Commission.
IMAGES of the simulation results are available from Durham University Media
Office.
Details of paper:
The detectability of baryonic acoustic oscillations in future galaxy
surveys, R.E. Angulo, C.M. Baugh, C.S. Frenk and C.G. Lacey, Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 383, pages 755-776 (11 January
2008). Copies are available from the Media Office, tel: +44 (0) 191 334
6075.
About the Institute of Computational Cosmology (ICC):
The ICC, part of the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics at Durham
University, is a leading international centre for research into the origin
and evolution of the Universe. For more details visit
http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/
SPACE -- the Spectroscopic All-sky Cosmic Explorer
http://urania.bo.astro.it/cimatti/space/
The announcement of the European Space Agency's Cosmic Vision shortlist can
be found at
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=100
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and
promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and
closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings,
publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding
achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive
library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and
represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3000
members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in
universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of
astronomy and others.
CONTACTS
Professor Carlos Frenk
Director of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, is available for
interview on Thursday, January 10, 1.30pm to 7pm (GMT), and Friday, January
11, 9am to 5pm (GMT), tel: +44 (0) 191 334 3641
Or
Durham University Media Office
tel: +44 (0) 191 334 6075
EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 GMT, FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 2008
RAS PN 08/03
SUPERCOMPUTER COULD THROW LIGHT ON DARK ENERGY
Cosmologists at Durham University's world-leading Institute for
Computational Cosmology (ICC) have run a series of huge computer simulations
of the Universe that could help solve one of astronomy's greatest mysteries.
The results tell researchers how to measure dark energy -- a force that
counteracts gravity and could decide the ultimate fate of the cosmos.
The findings, to be published on Friday, 11 January in the Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Society, will also provide vital input into the
design of a proposed satellite mission called SPACE -- the SPectroscopic
All-sky Cosmic Explorer -- that could unveil the nature of dark energy.
The discovery of dark energy in 1998 was completely unexpected and
understanding its nature is one of the biggest problems in physics.
Scientists believe that dark energy, which makes up 70 per cent of the
Universe, is driving its accelerating expansion. If this expansion continues
to accelerate experts say it could eventually lead to a Big Freeze as the
Universe is pulled apart and becomes a vast cold expanse of dying stars and
black holes.
The simulations, which took 11 days to run on Durham's unique Cosmology
Machine (COSMA) computer, looked at tiny ripples in the distribution of
matter in the Universe made by sound waves a few hundred thousand years
after the Big Bang. The ripples are delicate and some have been destroyed
over the subsequent 13 billion years of the Universe, but the simulations
showed they survived in certain conditions.
By changing the nature of dark energy in the simulations, the researchers
discovered that the ripples appeared to change in length and could act as a
"standard ruler" in the measurement of dark energy.
ICC Director Professor Carlos Frenk said: "The ripples are a 'gold
standard'. By comparing the size of the measured ripples to the gold
standard we can work out how the Universe has expanded and from this figure
out the properties of the dark energy.
"Astronomers are stuck with the one universe we live in. However, the
simulations allow us to experiment with what might have happened if there
had been more or less dark energy in the universe."
In the next five to 10 years a number of experiments are planned to explore
dark energy. The Durham simulation has demonstrated the feasibility of the
SPACE satellite mission proposed to the European Space Agency's (ESA) Cosmic
Vision programme.
The project has been put forward by an international consortium of
researchers including the Durham team.
SPACE, which is led by Bologna University, in Italy, is through to the next
round of assessment by the ESA and if successful is planned to launch in
2017.
Co-principal investigator Professor Andrea Cimatti, of Bologna University,
said: "Thanks to the ICC simulations it is possible to predict what SPACE
would observe and to plan how to develop the mission parameters in order to
obtain a three-dimensional map of the Universe and to compare it with the
predictions of the simulations.
"Thanks to this comparison it will be possible to unveil the nature of dark
energy and to understand how the structures in the Universe built up and
evolved with cosmic time."
The Durham research was funded by the Science and Technology Facilities
Council (STFC) and the European Commission.
IMAGES of the simulation results are available from Durham University Media
Office.
Details of paper:
The detectability of baryonic acoustic oscillations in future galaxy
surveys, R.E. Angulo, C.M. Baugh, C.S. Frenk and C.G. Lacey, Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 383, pages 755-776 (11 January
2008). Copies are available from the Media Office, tel: +44 (0) 191 334
6075.
About the Institute of Computational Cosmology (ICC):
The ICC, part of the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics at Durham
University, is a leading international centre for research into the origin
and evolution of the Universe. For more details visit
http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/
SPACE -- the Spectroscopic All-sky Cosmic Explorer
http://urania.bo.astro.it/cimatti/space/
The announcement of the European Space Agency's Cosmic Vision shortlist can
be found at
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=100
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and
promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and
closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings,
publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding
achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive
library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and
represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3000
members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in
universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of
astronomy and others.