Advisor name (first and last): Jeremy Darling
Advisor email address: jeremy.darling@colorado.edu
Starting semester: Spring or Summer 2024
Duration of project: 1 term probationary, 1.0-1.5 years total. Could extend, depending on funding.
Description of project(s) and/or research area: This is a longitudinal study of quasar absorption lines to work out the methods needed to measure the secular redshift drift. We will use Keck Observatory Archive data to develop new methods to identify metal lines in the Lyman alpha forest and to make differential measurements of redshift drifts. This work will NOT detect the cosmic acceleration -- that will require ELTs+time (i.e. long after you graduate). Rather, this work will lay the foundation for future studies and ask "how low can we go" before we find a systematic or statistical acceleration floor. I suspect that we can beat 1 m/s/yr. If interested, please send me a cv and a statement of your research interests and career goals.