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Modified Gravity Models and Large-scale Structures


Speaker:Dr. Tsz Yan Lam
Affiliation:Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
Date:November 15, 2013 (Fri)
Time:4:30 p.m.
Venue:Room 522, 5/F, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building, HKU

Abstract

The cosmic acceleration -- the accelerated expansion of the Universe -- is one of the most important discoveries in modern cosmology. In the standard paradigm it is "explained" by a mysterious cosmological constant (or in general dark energy); however its observed energy density is 120 orders of magnitude smaller than the theoretical expectation. Modified gravity models, in which the strength of gravity is altered at cosmological scales, have attracted recent attention as an alternative explanation of the cosmic acceleration. In this talk I will describe how structure formation is modified in these modified gravity models and the potentials of constraining these models using galaxy surveys.

Coffee and tea will be served 20 minutes prior to the seminar.