An international team of researchers, led by Shadab Alam at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, has unveiled the most comprehensive “three-dimensional” map of the universe to date. This groundbreaking achievement, made possible by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), offers hope of unlocking the mysteries surrounding dark energy, the enigmatic force driving the universe’s rapid expansion.
DESI, installed atop the Mayall 4-Meter Telescope in Arizona, United States, has enabled scientists to capture light from an astounding 5,000 galaxies simultaneously. Over the course of its first year of observations, DESI has meticulously measured light from six million galaxies, providing unprecedented detail about the distances between these celestial bodies.
The precision in measuring these distances is pivotal, as it allows researchers to calculate the universe’s expansion rate with unparalleled accuracy. This expansion rate, measured at 68.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec, offers valuable insights into the elusive nature of dark energy, which constitutes approximately 70 per cent of the universe’s mass.
Dark energy remains a profound mystery in cosmology, with its existence inferred from the observed phenomenon of the universe’s accelerating expansion. Despite gravitational forces that typically act to pull matter together, the expansive nature of the universe continues to perplex scientists, necessitating the hypothesis of an unseen “dark” energy.
The DESI collaboration, comprising over 900 researchers from institutions worldwide, marks a significant step forward in our quest to understand the cosmos. The wealth of data collected by DESI, including the expansion rate measurement, holds promise for uncovering the fundamental properties of dark energy.
While the precise nature of dark energy remains elusive, Alam notes that DESI’s initial findings hint at potential new physics awaiting discovery. With DESI’s scheduled five-year mission and three years already completed, researchers anticipate further groundbreaking revelations that could reshape our understanding of the universe.
From India, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research stands as the sole participating institution in the DESI collaboration. The institution’s contributions underscore India’s growing prominence in cutting-edge scientific research on a global scale.
As scientists continue to unravel the mysteries of dark energy, each new revelation brings humanity closer to unlocking the secrets of the cosmos and our place within it. The ongoing mission of DESI exemplifies the collaborative spirit and relentless pursuit of knowledge driving scientific exploration into the unknown realms of the universe.
