- The Institute for Theoretical Physics in Madrid (IFT UAM-CSIC) hosts the annual meeting of the theoretical division of the powerful satellite, launched on July 1, 2023.
- This gathering paves the way for the first significant data release, which will cover approximately one-twentieth of the observable sky.
Madrid, October 1st, 2024.- On October 1 and 2, the Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT UAM-CSIC) in Madrid will host the annual meeting of the theoretical working group of the Euclid satellite. This event, which is usually held in different cities across Europe, will focus on discussing key technical and scientific challenges that the team faces in analyzing the data that will begin to be released in the coming years.
The Euclid satellite, part of a mission from the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to explore the nature of dark energy and dark matter by observing a significant portion of the universe.
In this context, this year's meeting is crucial as it prepares the ground for the first data release expected in March 2025, known as the "Q1 data release," an initial step that will validate the satellite's performance.
According to Savvas Nesseris, a researcher at the IFT and a member of Euclid’s theoretical division, "the Q1 data release will only be a small sample to show that Euclid is working correctly. It will serve as the first step for conducting science, but the most important data will come in 2026." In that year, the first major data release is expected, covering approximately one-twentieth of the observable sky, allowing scientists to delve deeper into their research.
Throughout the two-day meeting, team members will discuss key ongoing projects, including the progress of the CLOE numerical code (short for Cosmology Likelihood for Observables in Euclid), a critical tool for data analysis. Nesseris explains, "in the meeting, we will address technical issues, such as the preparation of the key paper for the TH1 Project and the status of the development of CLOE, a code that is fundamental for our analyses."
Additionally, there will be small group technical sessions to address confidential project topics accessible only to members of the Euclid consortium. "These meetings allow us to fine-tune crucial details that are not of general interest to the broader scientific community but are vital to the success of our mission," Nesseris adds.
The IFT also welcomed prominent cosmologist Eric Linder, who gave a colloquium on the Monday preceding the meeting. Although his talk was not directly related to the specific topics of Euclid due to the confidential nature of the work, he addressed broader issues of interest to the institute’s community.
This meeting in Madrid is considered a major milestone for the Euclid mission, as it marks the beginning of a crucial phase leading up to 2026. "That data release will be a turning point for theoretical cosmology," notes Nesseris. "It will allow us to begin working in-depth with dark energy and dark matter models, and possibly challenge or confirm the standard Lambda-CDM cosmological model."
The Euclid team is working intensively to meet ESA’s deadlines and milestones, and these annual meetings allow the team to fine-tune technical details and coordinate efforts among the consortium's numerous collaborators.
About Euclid
The Euclid satellite is an ESA mission designed to map the geometry of the universe in order to understand the nature of dark energy and dark matter. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, Euclid will observe billions of galaxies, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge about the cosmos' evolution.
IFT
The Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT) UAM-CSIC was officially created in 2003 as a joint research center belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). It is the only Spanish center dedicated entirely to research in Theoretical Physics. The IFT members develop research in the frontiers of Elementary Particle Physics, Astroparticles and Cosmology, in order to understand the fundamental keys of Nature and the Universe. They are also leading many research projects, both at the national and international level. The IFT is part of the strategic line `Theoretical Physics and Mathematics´ of the Campus of International Excellence (CEI) UAM+CSIC established in 2009. Since 2012, it is credited as Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence. Besides purely scientific activity, in the IFT is also conducted intensive training tasks of young researchers and professionals through the graduate program in Theoretical Physics with mention of excellence from the CEI and the Ministry of Education. In addition, the Institute carries out the important task of transferring knowledge to society through several outreach programs.
For more information and interviews, please contact:
Laura Marcos Mateos
laura.marcos@csic.es / comunicacion@ift.csic.es
912999894
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