DPG Physics School 2006
supported by the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus - Foundation

Dark Matter and Dark Energy

M. Bartelmann (Heidelberg), Y. Mellier (Paris), C. Wetterich (Heidelberg)

Evidence is mounting that our Universe is dominated by some form of Dark Energy which drives its accelerated expansion. In addition, most of the matter in the Universe is of an unknown form which may consist of weakly interacting, cold elementary particles. The existence and the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy are among the most intriguing puzzles contemporary physics is confronted with. This course is intended to summarise the evidence for Dark Matter and Dark Energy, to explain current and future observations tracking down their nature and distribution, and to describe efforts of theoretical physics to develop models for both Dark Matter and Dark Energy.

Lecturers and topics:

• Dark Energy: Necessity, concepts, and relation to fundamental physics
  Christof Wetterich, University of Heidelberg
• Theoretical concepts for dark matter and dark energy
  Hans-Peter Nilles, University of Bonn
• Particle-physics models for Dark Energy, their behaviour and consequences
  Christof Wetterich, University of Heidelberg
• Relations between Dark Matter and Dark Energy
  Luca Amendola, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
• Principles of cosmological inflation, predictions of inflationary models
  Samuel Leach, SISSA Trieste
• Non-linear cosmic structure formation: Simulations and results
  Carlos Frenk, Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham
• The measured power spectrum of cosmic structures
  Shaun Cole, Physics Department, University of Durham
• Cosmology with galaxy clusters
  Stefano Borgani, OAT Trieste
• Observations of type-Ia supernovae: Surveys, detection, classification, correction, issues of systematics
  Pierre Astier, LPNHE Paris
• Theory of type-Ia supernovae: Modeling of type-Ia explosions
  Wolfgang Hillebrandt, Max-Planck-Institute of Astrophysics, Garching
• Theory of gravitational lensing
  Matthias Bartelmann, University of Heidelberg
• Theory of the Cosmic Microwave Background
  Michael Doran, University of Heidelberg
• The 21-cm sky: Principal features and its relevance for Dark-Energy Studies
  Torsten Enßlin, Max-Planck-Institute of Astrophysics, Garching
• Cosmic-shear measurements: Surveys, analysis procedure, control of systematics, results
  Yannick Mellier, Institut d'Astrophysique, Paris
• Lensing tomography, higher-order lensing statistics, and relevance for Dark Energy
  Peter Schneider, Institute of Astrophysics, University of Bonn
• CMB observations, data analysis, results and future expectations
  Carlo Baccigalupi, SISSA, Trieste

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