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Astrophysics
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Astrophysics
Overview | Faculty by Research Area | Research Projects
Overview
Theoretical
Michigan theoretical astrophysicists are working to improve our understanding of how the Universe, and the structures within it, came to be. Topics of interest include development of the early Universe, inflation, formation of galaxies and clusters of galaxies, star formation, and dynamics of astrophysical fluids. Much work is guided by observations from optical telescopes, such as the Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT telescope, as well as several NASA missions. The area maintains close contact with researchers in other physics department groups, such as the experimental astrophysicists and high energy physicists, as well as members of the astronomy department.
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Supernova 1994D
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Experimental
Departmental activities focus on the interface of fundamental physics and astrophysics. Astrophysics at U-M encompasses a strong group of faculty and senior research staff with highly diverse research interests. The ROTSE project, which recorded the first simultaneous optical flash from a gamma-ray burst (GRB), is engaged in building and operating a global network of small telescopes in various remote locations to observe GRBs and other transient phenomena. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is creating the first comprehensive digital map of the universe. The U-M SDSS group leads gravitational lensing analyses of SDSS data, revealing the relationship between luminous and dark matter. A large group of Michigan astrophysicists participate in the Supernova Acceleration Probe (SNAP) experiment, a wide field space telescope that will determine the nature of the dark energy that is causing the universe to accelerate its expansion.
Experimental astrophysics at Michigan benefits from the close relationship between cosmology and high-energy physics. With this broad range of experimental efforts, U-M astrophysicists will play an important role in the new era of precision cosmology
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