The Dark Ages of the Universe
Between recombination and the emission of the cosmic microwave background (redshift z ~ 1100) and the formation of the first stars (z ~ 20-30) is the period known as the Dark Ages of the Universe. While observers are only beginning to probe this epoch, computational cosmology can place strong constraints on the properties of the early Universe.
For more details on CCI projects on the dark ages see here.
The Cosmic Web
The large-scale structure of the Universe is exceedingly complex. Voids, filaments and clusters of galaxies form an intricate "cosmic web" which has been revealed by large-scale galaxy redshift surveys. These same structures arise from relatively simple physics in N-body cosmological simulations.
For more details on CCI projects on the cosmic web see here.
The Nature of Dark Matter
Dark matter, as its name implies, is matter that does not emit any electromagnetic radiation. Its presence is only detected by the gravitational effect it has on the luminous content of the Universe. While it makes up 85% of the mass content of the Universe, the composition of dark matter is still not known.
For more details on CCI projects on the nature of dark matter see here.
Gravitational Lensing
Gravitational lensing is the deflection of light by matter, regardless of the nature or dynamical state of the mass distribution. This has enabled gravitational lensing to become one of the strongest probes of dark matter.
For more details on CCI projects on gravitational lensing see here.
Fundamental Cosmology
It has been almost 100 years since the equations of modern cosmology were first written down, but debate still rages on what they physically mean. The CCI has several ongoing projects to understand the universe at the most fundamental level level, including the implications of the expansion of cosmological space.
For more details on CCI projects on fundamental cosmology see here.
Cosmological Visualization
Cosmological visualization is the representation of three-dimensional spatial structures within the Universe, including both observational and simulation datasets. Interactive visualization of cosmological datasets, supplemented by advanced display technologies, is an important tool for exploration and knowledge discovery.
For more details on CCI projects on cosmological visualization see here.
| This research is supported under the Australian Research Council's Discovery funding scheme (project number DP0665574). |