Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang2

There are critical questions in cosmology whose answers eluded

Einstein

Time Magazine “Person of the Century”

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang3

The Standard Hot Big Bang Model

Expansion of the Universe is a result of the Big Bang

The Universe is about 15 billion years old After the Big Bang: Inflation occurred between 10-35- 10-32 second The Particle Zoo emerged within 1 millisecond Baryogenesis era began after 1 millisecond

Light elements synthesized within first 3 minutes

Galaxies formed by 1 billion years

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Matter dominated universe

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang5

Old: Matter Dominated Universe

Matter Composition:Light elements created in Big Bang; heavy

elements in stars13% baryons

(1% stars, 12% molecular clouds, planets and stellar remnants)

0.8 % neutrinos86% dark matter (non-baryonic)

100 % Total Mass-Energy Budget

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Energy dominated universe

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang7

Now: Energy Dominated Universe

Matter Composition: 35% Baryons + Neutrinos + Dark Matter

Energy Composition: 65% Vacuum (Dark) Energy 100 % Total Mass-Energy Budget

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang8

The New Standard Hot Big Bang Model

The Universe is Flat : no spacetime curvature Accelerating: the expansion rate in

the present epoch is increasing

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Dark energy

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang10

Dark Energy & The Fundamental Nature of Matter

Unexpected Discovery of Dark Energy leads us to ask: What is it? Why is it there? Do we need new theories of space

and time?

Are there Mysterious Particles Permeating Space?

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang11

Solving the Mystery of Dark Energy

What is the connection between dark energy, gravity and the fate of the universe?

Is general relativity the ultimate theory of gravity for the universe?

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang12

by Anne Field, STSCI

The Accelerating Universe

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Recent Discoveries

Recent discoveries have revealed the fundamental connections between the forces of nature and the structure of universe

Distant Type Ia Supernovae Cosmic Microwave Background Galaxy Cluster Counting Theoretical Developments

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Terrestrial telescope discovers supernova

Supernovae

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Type Ia Supernovae

SN Ia Are very bright light sources visible

across the Cosmos Show that expansion of the universe

is accelerating through distance-redshift relation

Reveal evidence for a mysterious dark energy in the universe

Will provide the first measurements of equation of state of universe

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Cosmic microwave background

Dense quark-gluon plasma

Cosmic Microwave Background

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Cosmic Microwave Background

Measures the geometry of spacetime Spacetime geometry depends on the

mass-energy density of the universe Observation of a flat universe

confirms some of the predictions of inflation– a revolutionary theory with roots in

particle physics

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The Most Distant Galaxy Cluster

Distant Galaxy lensed by Cluster CL1358+62

Simulations of Large Scale Structure

Large Scale Structure

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Large Scale Structure

Measures the mass density in the universe

Reveals matter density is less than half the mass-energy density of a flat universe

SNe Ia + CMB + Large Scale Structure show that dark energy and dark matter are more than 90% of the mass-energy budget of the universe.

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang20

"Nature is a perpetual circulatory worker, generating fluids out of solids, and solids out of fluids, fixed things out of volatile, & volatile out of fixed.“ Isaac Newton

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Facts that at first seem improbable will, even on scant explanation, drop the cloak that has hidden them and stand forth in naked and simple beauty.” -- Galileo Galilei

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"

"The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.“

- Albert Einstein

Theoretical questions

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang21

Theoretical Questions

Why is the energy density so small? 120 orders of magnitude too small

and yet not zero … fine tuning? Why now?

the energy density is about equal to the energy density … coincidence?

Will these be answered by new theories beyond Einstein?

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Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang23

Unveiling the Dark Energy

Precision Cosmology Measuring the equation of state

is it constant in time and space?

Supernovae Are the Most Powerful Tools to Discover the Nature of the Dark Energy

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang24

SNAP is better than anything else for

acquiring images and spectra of thousands of

SNe

SNAP is better than anything else for

acquiring images and spectra of thousands of

SNew0

w(z)

magnitude - redshift

equation of state

Next Steps: SNAP

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang25

Supernova Acceleration Probe

Space observations of thousands of supernovae will provide the vital breakthrough in precision cosmology to characterize the dark energy

SNAP will measure the matter and energy densities, WM & WDE , with exquisite precision

SNAP will precisely determine the equation of state of the universe as a function of time and space

Beyond Einstein and the Big Bang26

Images

Spectra

Redshift & SN Properties

Lightcurve & Peak Brightness

data analysis physics

M and DE

Equation of StateDark Energy Properties

Roadmap toward Dark Energy

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2001 2004 2008 2009+

Construction Science R&D

Launch

SNAP Timeline

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A Billion Pixel Imager

Bold Ideas, Innovative Tools

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First class students become first class scientists and engineers by using first

class instruments and techniques

Students Today -Leaders Tomorrow

Undergraduates work with scientists and engineers at collaborating institutions.

Graduate Students gain immediate research experience on the most exciting current science!

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Education and Public Outreach

... if we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists.

- Stephen Hawking

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Science CentersClassrooms

Students & Teachers

images

spectra

Undergraduates Graduate students

Scientists &

Engineers

Education and Public Outreach

SNAP / EPO Operations

Partnerships

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We Are on the Cusp of Major Advances That Connect Particle

Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology Which Are Leading

to Breakthroughs in Fundamental Physics.