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The Center
for Cosmology within the School of Physical Sciences at UC Irvine is
devoted to topics that are
linked to the origin and evolution of the Universe:
-
What are the fundamental
constituents of the cosmos?
-
How did galaxies emerge from the
primordial universe?
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How can astrophysical
observations influence our understanding of particle physics?
These
questions evoke deep connections between the macroscopic
world of astrophysics and the microscopic world of particle
physics. Bringing together astrophysicists, cosmologists, and
high-energy physicists, the Center for Cosmology thrives on
collaborations between varied subfields with a united interest in
deciphering the universe.
A partial
list of Center research activities includes:
Neutrinos and
Cosmic Rays
High-energy particles from
space carry important information about the
fundamental nature of matter and offer unique ways for us to learn
about distant astrophysical objects. Center members play leading roles
in the AMANDA-II
neutrino telescope, the Super-Kamiokande/K2K
experiments, and the Milagro
Gamma-Ray Observatory. These activities build on the pioneering
work of UCI Professor Frederick Reines, who received the Nobel Prize in
1995 for the discovery of the neutrino.
................................................
Galaxies and Black
Holes
Galaxies represent the
characteristic building blocks of
the large-scale universe and new data indicate that black holes play an
important role in shaping their formation. Members of the
Cosmology Center are involved in several major projects to characterize
the nature of galaxies in the nearby universe and to understand how the
first galaxies and black holes formed after the Big Bang.
Projects include the Carnegie-Irvine
Nearby Galaxy Survey and searches for the first
star-forming galaxies using Gemini and the Keck telescope. As
part of the University of California, Irvine is a partner on the Thirty Meter Telescope
project,
with Center members intimately involved in the design and science case
for this endeavor.
................................................
Theoretical Cosmology
The grand goal of Center theoreticians is to understand all of
the
phenomena in the observable universe within the context of one coherent
theory. Working in concert with the experimentalists and
observers described above, Center theorists investigate problems
including the nature of dark
matter and dark energy, the
large-scale structure of the Universe, and the pre-big bang phenomena
of inflation.
................................................
Education and Outreach
In
addition to research, Cosmology Center faculty are heavily involved in
a number of public outreach and educational activities:
................................................
Executive
Board
The Center is run by an Executive
Board of its members:
:: Elizabeth
Barton - Observational Astrophysics
:: James
Bullock [Director] - Theoretical Cosmology
:: Asantha
Cooray - Theoretical Astrophysics
:: Jonathan
Feng - Theoretical Particle Physics
:: Manoj
Kaplinghat - Theoretical Cosmology
................................................
McCue
Fellows
2007
.......................................
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:: Alexandre
Amblard
Alex is currently working on the polarization of the
Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB)
for EPIC
(Experimental Probe of Inflationary Cosmology), the anisotropy
of the Far-Infrared Background for Herschel, and the reionization
of the Universe from the 21cm spin-flip transition of
hydrogen.
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:: Jose
Cembranos
Jose's research and current interests are in particle
physics, cosmology and their multiple relations. Usually, his
work has been in frameworks for physics beyond the Standard
Model, such as supersymmetry and extra dimensions.
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................................................
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:: Marc Seigar
Marc Seigar's primary research interest is the structure, morphology
and kinematics of disk galaxies. His focus is on spiral
structure,
bulge and disk morphology and dark matter halo structure. As well as
disk galaxies, Marc is interested in Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs)
and intracluster light."
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McCue
Fellows
2006
.......................................
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:: Jeff Cooke
Jeff's research centers on observational studies of
galaxy formation and evolution. He conducts large surveys to
measure the spatial distribution and mass of high redshift (z > 2)
galaxies and quasar absorption line systems. Recent work involves
the study of the merger rate of galaxies over cosmic time and methods
of detecting high redshift supernovae.
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:: Naoki Seto
Naoki is mainly working on cosmological and
astrophysical aspects of gravitational waves. He is interested in broad
frequency bands, including pulsar timing observation (~1nHz), the
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA: ~1mHz), and the Laser
Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO: ~100Hz).
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:: Louie
Strigari
Louie's research interests are in theoretical
astroparticle physics and cosmology, in particular neutrinos and dark
matter. His recent
work has included using dwarf galaxies to constrain the nature of dark
matter, and testing dark matter models with high energy gamma
rays.
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Last
update: September 10, 2008
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