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Astronomers have created the most accurate and comprehensive map of the universe ever. which reveals The brilliant “sea of light” that pervaded the early universe
Unlike other global maps, this 3D visualization consists of light emitted by a single element: hydrogen, the simplest and most abundant element in the universe. which releases large quantities of greenhouse gases specific wavelength of light when it is excited by energy from a nearby star
The new research is described in a paper published on March 3. Journal of AstrophysicsIt’s part of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope’s Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX), a survey of the sky that aims to shed light on how dark energy and gravity created the universe The researchers can now compare the simulations with this new data collected with the Hobby-Eberly telescope at McDonald Observatory in Texas. To evaluate how cosmological models differ from observations.
Exciting way to see the baby universe
When hydrogen atoms are bombarded by stellar radiation They become excited and emit Lyman-alpha light. which is a wavelength specific to the ultraviolet portion of the star. electromagnetic spectrum.
Massive, bright galaxies are easier to detect. But fainter galactic structures and the massive interstellar gas clouds that form most stars and galaxies have remained undetected until now.
To reveal the sea of light that permeated the newly emerging universe. The researchers used a technique called line intensity mapping. which focuses on telltale wavelengths or unique spectral emissions which is obtained from different elements Astronomers can use line mapping to chart the concentration and distribution of those specific elements throughout the universe. Create a map of bright galaxies and glowing gas clouds lit by excited hydrogen atoms.
Cosmology is all about zooming out.
When studying individually galaxystars or other discrete celestial objects Astronomers analyze their characteristics by zooming in. However, cosmology requires zooming in. leaveBecause of this, the HETDEX survey does not observe individual galaxies. Instead, it observes the combined light from all objects in a given area of the sky. As a result, astronomers can collect integrated data from many galaxies and intergalactic gas clouds simultaneously.
“Imagine you’re in an airplane looking down,” study co-author Julian MunozTheoretical cosmologist from the University of Texas at Austin said in statement“The ‘traditional’ way to explore the galaxy is like mapping only the brightest cities. You will learn where the large population centers are. But you think about everyone who lives in the suburbs and small towns. Intensity mapping is like viewing the same scene through a smudged airplane window. You will get a more blurred image. But you capture all the light. It’s not just the brightest spot.”
In seeking to understand dark energy and chart more than 1 million bright galaxies, HETDEX “has collected more than 600 million spectra over an area equivalent to more than 2,000 full moons, creating an unprecedented dataset,” the researchers said in another report. statement.
The Golden Age of Mapping the Universe
The mapping methods that HETDEX is able to do provide another way to probe cosmological thrusts and how mass is distributed throughout the universe.
“These new 3D maps allow us to study how galaxies come together,” said the study’s co-authors. Carl Gebharda professor of astrophysics at the University of Texas at Austin, told Live Science via email, “The culprit that makes galaxies come together is gravity. Therefore, from the study of grouping properties So we understand the properties of gravity and the mass that exists,” explains Gebhardt.
Looking at galaxy structure as a whole is of great value in measuring large-scale density fluctuations across the universe to explore the influence of dark energyA mysterious creature that appears to be accelerating the expansion of the universe.
Not surprisingly, detecting signals from ancient galaxies is difficult. But separating the faint signal from other things, like faint galaxies in the foreground, sound from detector Artifacts resulting from analytical techniques scattered light sources such as the moon Weak absorption/emission lines from Earth’s atmosphere. is even more difficult,” study co-author Robin CiardulloProfessor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State and HETDEX Observer Manager told Live Science via email.
The next step is to improve noise reduction techniques and separate the desired signal from the many astronomical and temporal contaminants. Researchers can then use fainter sources and lower mass objects as tracers of the evolution of the universe to provide more robust constraints. Gravity Model
“Hobby-Eberly It’s a pioneering telescope,” Muñoz said. that is about to be launched We are entering a golden age of mapping the universe.”
