Title: Euclid space mission and the origin of the accelerating Universe

Speakers: Dr Yannick Mellier (Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris) and Dr Giuseppe Racca (European Space Agency).

Abstract: 

Euclid is a space-based optical/near-infrared survey mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) designed to investigate the nature of dark energy, dark matter and gravity by observing their signatures on the geometry of the Universe and on the formation of large structures over cosmological timescales. Euclid will use two main techniques in the detection of the signature of dark matter and energy: Weak Gravitational Lensing, which requires the measurement of the shape and photometric redshifts of distant galaxies, and Galaxy Clustering, based on the measurement of the 3-dimensional distribution of galaxies through their spectroscopic redshifts. The mission is scheduled for a launch date in the first half of 2020.

Euclid will explore how the Universe evolved over the past 10 billion years to address questions related to fundamental physics and cosmology on the nature and properties of dark energy, dark matter and gravity, as well as on the physics of the early universe and the initial conditions which seed the formation of cosmic structure.

In September 2016 a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between CERN and the Euclid Consortium granting Euclid the status of CERN Recognized Experiment.

During this seminar Dr Yannick Mellier (IAP, Euclid Consortium Lead) and Dr Giuseppe Racca (European Space Agency, Euclid Project Manager), will present an overview of the mission covering the scientific targets (cosmology and fundamental physics), the technical challenges (platform, instruments and ground segment) and the complex programmatic issues of this ambitious project.

Biography:

Dr Yannick Mellier (Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris) is the Euclid Consortium Lead. 

Dr Giuseppe Racca (European Space Agency) is the Euclid Project Manager.

You are invited to join the speakers and organisers for coffee before the seminar.

This seminar is organised by the Knowledge Transfer Group in collaboration with the Theoretical Physics  Department.