Polish astronomer solves one of the biggest mysteries of the universe? – Interia

Luxury European grant to study one of the biggest mysteries of the universe fell Polish astronomer. Prof. Gregory Pietrzyński of Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory received the Advanced Grant of nearly 2.4 million. This is the twelfth grant of the European Council. Research for UW.

the Pole has a chance to precisely determine the Hubble parameter, one of the most important in modern astronomy

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“A sub-percent of the distance scale from binaries and Cepheids” is a project whose main objective is to determine the famous Hubble parameter with an accuracy of 1 per cent. This parameter determines the Hubble expansion rate of the universe. Knowledge of the precise value of the speed with which expands our universe, is crucial in understanding its nature.

Thanks to the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe in 2011. (Nobel Prize) confirmed the existence of dark energy, which accounts for about 70 percent. the universe. The precise value of the Hubble parameter is therefore necessary in order to investigate the nature of dark matter and understand the evolution of our universe.

To determine the Hubble parameter, perform distance measurements to very distant objects. For this purpose, astronomers use different methods. Based on such measurements calibrated then secondary distance indicators, which in turn allow you to calibrate the far-reaching methods to measure the distance to the farthest corners of the universe. The result is called. cosmic distance ladder.

It turns out that the most difficult step in the arduous and extremely difficult study is the precise calibration of the first rung of the ladder – the distance to nearby galaxies.

Prof. Grzegorz Pietrzyński and his team will try to clarify the value of the Hubble parameter, performing extremely precise measurements to nearby galaxies using two methods: Cepheids and eclipsing the stars.

Previous studies prof. Pietrzyńskiego already allowed to determine the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud with an accuracy of 2.2 per cent., Which is currently the most robust foundations to determine the Hubble parameter with an accuracy of about 3 percent. (Measuring the received second place in the poll organized FOR IN Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the most interesting Polish invention, achievement and scientific event of the last 25 years).

The project ERC plans to appoint a distance of several nearby galaxies with an accuracy the order of 1 per cent., which will allow for the measurement of Hubble’s unprecedented accuracy of 1 percent.

Before the professor learned on the grant, has decided to launch in April, the Polish Academy of Sciences and there will be conducted research funded by ERC. Partner institutions in the project are the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France and Universidad de Concepcion in Chile.

Advanced Grant is for researchers with well-established scientific position, who have experience in managing research teams. The contest for the grant this time signed up nearly 2,000 leaders from all over Europe.