Main research fields :
- Cosmology
- Formation and evolution of structures (galaxies, clusters)
The main research areas are in the framework of observational
cosmology, with particular reference to the following open
questions : (1) the nature of Dark Energy and (2) the formation and
evolution of the structures (galaxies, clusters, large scale
structure). One of the most modern approaches to address the above
problems is to conduct galaxy surveys which provide the data needed
to derive the physical properties of galaxies as a function of the
cosmic time (or redshift) and then investigate their evolution in a
coherent manner from the highest redshifts to z=0. The same data
can then be used to derive the evolution of the large scale
structure of the Universe and place constraints on Dark Energy
equation of state. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to
use in synergy all the largest telescopes on the ground and in
space and to collect galaxy samples at several wavelengths. The
involvements in the GMASS (PI A. Cimatti) and COSMOS, and in the
space missions ESA Herschel (CoI A. Cimatti in the PACS
cosmological surveys) and ESA Euclid are particularly
relevant. In particular, the ESA Euclid mission aims at obtaining
stringent constraints on the main open questions of cosmology (dark
energy, dark matter, formation and evolution of structures and
galaxies). Euclid has two channels dedicated to two independent,
but complementary, experiments. The first uses the VIS
instrument dedicated to imaging and weak gravitational lensing. The
second is based on the NISP instrument which provides spectra and
redshifts for reconstructing the galaxy large scale structure, and
near-infrared imaging in YJH bands for the estimate of photometric
redshifts.
