Pursuing nature's truths with experiment, theory and computation
Cosmologists seek to answer big questions:
- What is the Universe made of?
- How did the Universe begin?
- How did the galaxies and stars that light up our Universe form?
Researchers at the University of Michigan collaborate closely to apply cutting-edge theory, computation and instrumentation to find solutions to these fundamental puzzles.
Theory
Michigan theorists are working to understand physical processes in stars, galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, in order to map the evolution of the Universe itself. Principal areas of research include theories of the early Universe and inflation, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, dark matter and dark energy, the physics of galaxy clusters, and star/planet formation. Theorists work with experimental astrophysicists and astronomers in providing theoretical predictions and numerical simulations for a variety of observational projects in which Michigan is involved. Theorists also collaborate with high-energy physicists in exploring the fertile intersection between particle physics and cosmology.
Faculty involved in Theoretical Cosmology and Astrophysics
Experiment
Michigan cosmologists are playing a key role in the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), an international project that is currently taking spectra of over 50 million objects, making a three-dimensional map of structures in the universe, and thus helping measure dark energy, modified gravity, and the sum of the neutrino masses to unprecedented precision. We are also participatingin two major international collaborations, the Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) of theLarge Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-waveObservatory (LIGO) project, as well as two experiments whose goal is to measure the properties ofthe neutrinos (Microboone, and DUNE). Finally, we are participating in the LZ experiment, which aims to detect dark matter directly.
