Beyond ΛCDM with the ELT and space facilities, Angra do Heroísmo, 2-8 September 2024

 

The observational evidence for the acceleration of the universe shows that our canonical theories of cosmology and fundamental physics are at least incomplete, and possibly incorrect. It is increasingly clear that the ΛCDM model is at best a simplistic (though certainly convenient) approximation to the behaviour of a more fundamental cosmological paradigm, yet to be discovered. Commonly invoked extensions, such as dynamical scalar fields, new dark matter particles, or inflation, unavoidably leave imprints on a range of astrophysical scales. Thus progress in fundamental physics is increasingly relying on progress in observational astrophysics and cosmology.

 

New ground and space facilities are gathering an unprecedented amount of high-quality data. A pressing task of these facilities is to search for, identify and ultimately characterise this new physics. To fully exploit this data one requires a broad range of expertise, encompassing theory, phenomenology, high performance computing, data analysis and instrumentation. This school will prepare the next generation of astrophysicists for this exciting quest. This edition focuses on ESO's ELT, and its synergies with space facilities, especially Euclid and JWST.

 

Attendance will be limited to 40 students. The level of the lectures will be aimed for PhD students, but MSc students and junior postdocs are also welcome, space permitting. In addition to lectures and hands-on tutorials, the students will have an opportunity to present their own work and discuss it with world experts in the field.