Colloquium 146

Title: Deep galaxy redshift surveys: Galaxy formation and evolution and Cosmology

Speaker:Professor Olivier Le Fèvre, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, France

Location: Room 111, Physics Building

Time: 15:00-16:00, Wed, April 23 2014

Abstract:
 Two of the major questions in Astrophysics today are the understanding of the  cosmological world model and the formation and evolution of galaxies. Observational cosmology is a fundamental pilar which brings serious constraints of different theories and simulations and allows the derivation of a coherent evolution scenario.

Measuring the position of galaxies in space and along cosmic time, and their physical properties, is a key element in exploring the universe.  I will describe the recent progress in  deep galaxy redshift surveys, particularly at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (VVDS, VIPERS, VUDS...). These aim to measure  the spectra of large samples in large volumes  at high redshifts z>~1, and  derive a fundamental quantity, the redshift,  as well as the physical  quantities describing each galaxy. I will describe the measurements of the clustering of galaxies which provide new constraints on the growth of structure and the geometry of universe, hence ultimately on the cosmological world model. I will revisit the current understanding of the evolution of galaxies, and the assembly of galaxies at early cosmological times. Finally, I will discuss the plans for next generation redshift surveys including the Japanese Subaru SUMIRE-PFS project and European Space Agency Euclid mission.

Biography:
Prof. Le Fèvre graduated his PhD in 1987 from the Observatory of Paris. He was resident astronomer at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope up to 1994. Back in France he joined the Paris Observatory and moved to the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille in 1997. Prof. Le Fèvre is a world renown expert in observational cosmology and galaxy evolution, leader of the most exquisite surveys of the distant Universe and in the development of instrumentation, in particular in the realm of multi-object spectroscopy. Prof. Le Fèvre is the Principal Investigator of the VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey and VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey, two game changing observing programs which revealed many aspects of our understanding of the distant galaxies.
 
He has been the director of the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille from 2004 to 2011, and is now holding one of the prestigious European Research Council Advanced Grant. For his work, he was awarded the French CNRS Bronze medal in 1987, the French Science Academy Forthuny price in 1993, and the annual French Astronomical Society price in 1996