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Host: Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences
Homepage: http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programs/sfuw01.html
Email: h.hughes@newton.cam.ac.uk
Organizers: RG Crittenden, VA Rubakov, PJ Steinhardt, NG Turok
Description:
The hot big bang theory successfully explains the basic properties of our universe, but it does not address what is perhaps the most interesting question, namely how
the structures we see in the universe - planets, stars and galaxies - came to be formed.
Over the last two decades, several theories of structure formation have been investigated, and due to advances in observational techniques these theories are being tested to increasing precision. A host of new experiments, including dedicated satellites from ESA and NASA, will map the cosmic microwave sky, giving us an unprecedentedly clear view of the universe at early epochs, and on the largest visible scales. In parallel, there is a rapidly growing set of complementary data including surveys of the large scale galaxy distribution and the velocity field, of galaxies, quasars and Lyman alpha clouds at high redshift, and of the mass distribution from gravitational lensing.
Theories connecting the origin of structure to fundamental high energy physics include variants of the inflation and cosmic defect theories. According to the latest data, the simplest versions of each appear clearly ruled out. Nevertheless modifications of the theories appear viable at present. If one of the simpler modifications turns out to be correct, we shall be able to determine the cosmological parameters with some precision. Conversely, the refutation of current theories will demand new theoretical ideas.
The ASI will consist of ten days of pedagogical lectures including reviews of the current status of the observations and of the leading theorie
Speakers: A Albrecht, R Bond, F Bouchet, A Doroshkevich, G Efstathiou, R Ellis, M Fukugita, A Guth, S Hawking, C Hogan, R Juskiewicz, N Kaiser*, E Kolb, T Kibble, O Lahav, A Lasenby, J Ostriker, L Page, J Peacock, M Rees, V Rubakov, P Shellard, J Silk*, A Starobinsky, A Szalay, P Steinhardt, M Turner, N Turok, (* Tentative)
Date received: January 20, 1999
© 2008 Atlas Conferences Inc.