Harvard University Department of Astronomy

The Cosmological Constant Alcock-Paczynski Test Basic Idea: Ratio of observed angular size to radial/redshift size varies with cosmology. Find something which is known to be isotropic (i.e. where where transverse and radial intrinsic size are the same). Fixing the ratio of the intrinsic radial and transverse distances gives a relation between the measured radial and transverse distances depending on cosmological parameters. ratio of these quantities analytically dependence on redshift standard ruler/sphere: correlation function Systems of interest: galaxies What one measures about them observations redshift space distortions and other limitations current and proposed projects deep, sdss, aa2df quasars What they are (believed to be) High redshift advantage Upcoming observations Lyman-alpha forest What it is (believed to be) early idea current paradigm What one measures simple relation between density and optical depth application of A-P with qso pairs upcoming observations Other cosmological tests and questions these systems are used for sdss, aa2df deep Lyman alpha forest Some References Home Syllabus References Lecture References Useful Links Contact Info Back to Harvard University Department of Astronomy Academics. Back to Harvard University Department of Astronomy Courses.