Events

Events at Physics

<< Spring 2013 Summer 2013 Fall 2013 >>
Subscribe your calendar or receive email announcements of events
Astronomy Colloquium
SPECIAL TALK
Towards 1% Measurements of Cosmological Distances with Cosmic Sound
Date: Friday, August 16th
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
Speaker: Nikhil Padmanabhan, YALE
Abstract: <br>
Measuring the accelerated expansion of the Universe with the goal of better understanding its underlying physics is one of the leading programs in cosmology today. The baryon acoustic oscillation technique is one of the foremost tools in our toolbox today. This talk will explain the underlying physics of this method and the reasons it is extremely robust to observational and theoretical systematic errors. I will then present the latest results from the SDSS and BOSS surveys, currently the most precise distance constraints from this method. These will include a new analysis technique to undo the effects of the nonlinear evolution of the density field and partially &quot;reconstruct&quot; the initial density field. I will discuss the implications of these measurements, and will conclude by discussing prospects for improvements in the immediate and not-so-immediate future.<br>
Host: Astronomy
Add this event to your calendar