Cosmic Co-Motion

Cosmic Co-Motion: Peculiar velocities in our expanding Universe

For three days (27th-29th September 2010) on beautiful Stradbroke Island, Queensland, we will discuss the many varied aspects of motion in the universe. This cosmic commotion contains a wealth of information about the nature of the cosmos, the laws of gravity, the attributes of dark matter and dark energy, large scale structure formation, and the birth of galaxies.

We will look at both theory and observations. What are the most exciting features to test? What new cosmological constraints can we derive? What will the new technologies and upcoming telescope be able to measure? Are there synergies between different types of experiments?

This will be a workshop, where discussion and collaboration are encouraged. The agenda will be set very much by the interests of the participants. We will have five or six special topic sessions, each with a coordinator who will collaboratively plan the discussion with the most interested participants prior to the workshop.

Nominally, the topics are:

  1. Peculiar velocity theory – what can we learn from peculiar velocity measurements?
  2. Existing constraints and conundrums – what do we already know and what problems need to be solved?
  3. Reconstructing the density and velocity fields – techniques and hurdles.
  4. Statistical bulk flow measurements – redshift space distortions etc…
  5. Supernova Peculiar velocity measurements – how accurate can they be, what observations are required, what facilities/projects will be able to achieve this?
  6. Galaxy Peculiar Velocity measurements – how accurate can they be, what observations are required, what facilities/projects will be able to achieve this?
  7. Synergies between surveys – how can different measurement techniques be used to complement each other?

Scientific Organising Committee:
Tamara Davis
Chris Blake
Matthew Colless
Jeremy Mould
Brian Schmidt
Lister Staveley-Smith

Local Organising Committee:
Tamara Davis
Michael Drinkwater
Brendan Griffen
Signe Riemer-Sorensen