Testing Gravitational Lensing as a Tool for Astrophysics and Cosmology

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0708433 Dell'Antonio Weak gravitational lensing has rapidly become the technique of choice for dark matter searches. It has proved invaluable for investigating the mass of galaxies and of clusters of galaxies, and the large-scale structure power spectrum, and it is the centerpiece of projects to measure the dark energy and its equation of state. However, the ability of gravitational lensing surveys correctly to measure large scale structure has not been verified by comparison with other large-scale structure mapping methods. This project will perform this comparison on the fields of the Deep Lens Survey, where the necessary wealth of ancillary information will be available. The work includes investigating promising techniques for improving the quality and resolution of mass reconstructions, and an effort to measure the properties of individual galaxy halos through a combination of galaxy-galaxy strong lensing and weak lensing studies. An integral part of this research is to continue and expand upon a program that brings high-school students from the less-advantaged of the Providence public schools to participate in research, and experience first-hand the excitement of scientific discovery. The existing program offers some academic credit as an incentive to students. The new project will target the most disadvantaged group, deserving students whose financial situation requires them to work full-time after school, by including funding for them in the award budget.