Digging into Dark Matter with Weak Gravitational Lensing

Richard Massey

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract / Description of output

Ordinary baryonic particles (such as protons and neutrons) account for only one-sixth of the total matter in the Universe. The remainder is a mysterious "dark matter" component, which does not interact via the electromagnetic force and thus neither emits nor reflects light. However, evidence is mounting for its gravitational influence. The past few years have seen particular progress in observations of weak gravitational lensing, the slight deflection of light from distant galaxies due to the curvature of space around foreground mass. Recent surveys from the Hubble Space Telescope have provided direct proof for dark matter, and the first measurements of its properties. We review recent results, then prospects and challenges for future gravitational lensing surveys.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPROCEEDINGS OF THE 2009 SNOWBIRD PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY WORKSHOP (SNOWPAC 2009)
EditorsDB Kieda, P Gondolo
Place of PublicationSAN FRANCISCO
PublisherASTRONOMICAL SOC PACIFIC
Pages115-122
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)978-1-58381-732-2
Publication statusPublished - 2010
EventSnowbird Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology Workshop (SNOWPAC 2009) - Snowbird
Duration: 1 Feb 20097 Feb 2009

Conference

ConferenceSnowbird Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology Workshop (SNOWPAC 2009)
CitySnowbird
Period1/02/097/02/09

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