Date:
Tue, 07/02/201212:30-14:00
Title:
Cosmology in the Planck Era: Origins, Evolution and Fate
Abstract:
We live in an increasing incomprehensible universe. Our best estimates are that we can only account for about 4% of the mass-energy of from ordinary matter (things on the periodic table) with the rest being Dark Matter (which at behaves gravitationally like matter - ie it is attractive) and the largest portion being Dark Energy which behaves as a repulsive force. What accounts for this 96% of the universe we do not know. We do not even have any reasonable theories for the largest portion- that being Dark Energy. All of this influences our ultimate fate and presumably came from our origins. By studying the universe from the millimeter to the optical there is an enormous amount of information as to the structure of our universe and hence the beginnings and possible final fate we have. With the launch of the NASA/ ESA Planck satellite in May 2009 we are about to witness an outpouring of data related to our origins, our formative years of growth , our latter years and the possible ultimate extinction of all life. Coincidentally the Planck mission just finished the HFI survey (0.1 – 1 THz) on Jan 15 when the He3-He4 dilution cooler exhausted its expendable gas supply. The LFI surveys (0.03-0.07 THz) continue.
Cosmology in the Planck Era: Origins, Evolution and Fate
Abstract:
We live in an increasing incomprehensible universe. Our best estimates are that we can only account for about 4% of the mass-energy of from ordinary matter (things on the periodic table) with the rest being Dark Matter (which at behaves gravitationally like matter - ie it is attractive) and the largest portion being Dark Energy which behaves as a repulsive force. What accounts for this 96% of the universe we do not know. We do not even have any reasonable theories for the largest portion- that being Dark Energy. All of this influences our ultimate fate and presumably came from our origins. By studying the universe from the millimeter to the optical there is an enormous amount of information as to the structure of our universe and hence the beginnings and possible final fate we have. With the launch of the NASA/ ESA Planck satellite in May 2009 we are about to witness an outpouring of data related to our origins, our formative years of growth , our latter years and the possible ultimate extinction of all life. Coincidentally the Planck mission just finished the HFI survey (0.1 – 1 THz) on Jan 15 when the He3-He4 dilution cooler exhausted its expendable gas supply. The LFI surveys (0.03-0.07 THz) continue.