23 September 2004

Speaker: Uros Seljak (Princeton University)

Title: Cosmology with Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Abstract: I will review recent results from SDSS on galaxy clustering, weak lensing and Ly-alpha forest. In combination with WMAP these tracers of large scale structure give us an unprecedented view of the universe over a broad range of scales and epochs. I will describe how we can test fundamental theories of the universe with these observations, focusing on three questions: do neutrinos have mass? what provided initial seeds of structure in the universe? what is the nature of the dark energy? Existing SDSS data and corresponding analyses already greatly improve the precision of these tests, which will be improved further in the future. Achieving these goals requires not just better data, but also a better understanding of astrophysical processes such as physics of galaxy formation and physics of inter-galactic medium. I will describe recent progress in these areas.

Video of the Presentation (Talks can be viewed with RealPlayer. Free download is available from www.real.com )

References for students:

1. Seljak et al., Cosmological parameter analysis including SDSS Ly-alpha forest and galaxy bias: constraints on the primordial spectrum of fluctuations, neutrino mass, and dark energy, astro-ph/0407372
2. Seljak et al., SDSS galaxy bias from halo mass-bias relation and its cosmological implications, astro-ph/0406594