Ann Arbor Times

Research from the University of Michigan aims to enhance cosmological studies by maximizing the information extracted from cosmic maps. This study highlights a computational method that surpasses previous techniques in analyzing galaxy clustering.

Scientists currently utilize tools like DESI, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, to explore dark energy and dark matter. However, advancements are needed for deeper insights. Minh Nguyen and his team focus on optimizing data analysis with current and future instruments.

Nguyen, a Leinweber Research Fellow at U-M's Department of Physics, said: “As we move to bigger and better telescopes, we might also be throwing away more information.” He emphasizes the importance of extracting more data as technology advances.

In collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), Nguyen used a framework called LEFTfield to improve large-scale cosmic structure analysis. “In the early universe, the structure was Gaussian—like the static you would see on old TV sets,” Nguyen explained. He noted that today’s universe resembles a "spider web" due to dark energy and dark matter interactions.

LEFTfield allows researchers to extract additional information from existing cosmic maps. Their study was published in Physical Review Letters and won a 2024 Buchalter Cosmology Prize. Unlike standard methods that compress data for efficiency but lose some details, LEFTfield maintains data fidelity through field-level inference.

Shaun Hotchkiss from Cosmology Talks praised this approach: “If we’ve measured the density field, why compress the information inside of it?” Despite its complexity, Hotchkiss believes it shouldn't deter researchers like Nguyen and his co-author Beatriz Tucci.

The team demonstrated LEFTfield's potential by calculating sigma-8—a measure of cosmic clumpiness—and improving its determination significantly compared to standard methods. Nguyen stated: “That’s like going from DESI to the successor of DESI.”

Before full implementation, integrating LEFTfield with specific instruments is necessary. Nguyen remains optimistic about its potential impact on understanding dark energy, dark matter, and general relativity.

The research included contributions from Fabian Schmidt at MPA and other scientists such as Martin Reinecke and Andrija Kostić. After completing his fellowship at U-M, Nguyen is now at Tokyo's Kavli Institute for Physics and Mathematics of the Universe.