Visando aprimorar as medidas de distâncias cosmológicas feitas com a observação de supernovas de tipo Ia (SNIas), nós realizamos dois estudos: primeiro, verificamos as relações entre as propriedades das SNIas e de seus ambientes; segundo, avaliamos os dados de supernovas que poderiam ser obtidos com um mapeamento (survey) fotométrico do céu em filtros de banda estreita. Na primeira parte deste trabalho, nós utilizamos dados do Sloan Digital Sky Survey para confirmar as relações publicadas na literatura entre as propriedades das SNIas e a taxa de formação estelar de suas galáxias hospedeiras: SNIas em galáxias passivas tendem a ser mais breves, mais luminosas após correções, e sua cor influencia menos a sua magnitude quando comparadas a SNIas em galáxias ativas. Nós então analisamos SNIas em aglomerados ricos de galáxias e concluímos que elas são ainda mais breves do que a SNIa média em galáxias passivas. Essa característica está relacionada com a idade mais alta das galáxias passivas em ambientes densos e com a preferência dessas galáxias em hospedar SNIas bastante breves. As demais características das SNIas foram consideradas compatíveis com SNIas de campo dentro da precisão alcançada. Esse tipo de estudo deve impactar a determinação de distâncias uma vez que, em diversos casos, SNIas em redshifts diferentes habitam ambientes diferentes. O segundo tema desta tese trata de estudar as características de um novo método fotométrico aplicado às supernovas: o imageamento em filtros de banda estreita. Utilizando simulações de fotometria e tomando como base o projeto Javalambre Physics of the accelerating universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS), mostramos que um mapeamento realista em filtros de banda estreita é capaz de produzir amostras massivas de SNIas em redshifts intermediários (0 < z < 0;5) com baixa contaminação (3% ou menos), com um redshift fotométrico altamente preciso (sz =0;005) e com boa precisão na parametrização de suas curvas de luz. Além disso, filtros de banda estreita são capazes de resolver quase todas as características espectrais das supernovas. Junto com a rica informação que esse mapeamento pode prover sobre as galáxias observadas, esse tipo de projeto deve trazer contribuições significativas para o melhor entendimento das supernovas e das relações com seus ambientes. / Aiming at improvements in cosmological distance measurements performed with type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observations, we carried out two studies: first, we analyzed the relationships between the properties of SNe Ia and those of their environments; second, we assessed what kind of SNe data could be attained by a photometric survey using narrowband filters. In the first part of this work we used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to confirm previously reported relations between SNe Ia properties and their hosts star formation rate: SNe Ia in passive galaxies tend to be briefer, more luminous after corrections and their colors do not impact their magnitudes as much when compared to SNe Ia in active galaxies. We then analyzed the properties of SNe Ia inside rich galaxy clusters and concluded that they are even briefer than the average SNe Ia in passive galaxies. This characteristic is related to the older age of passive galaxies in dense regions and their preference for hosting very brief SNe Ia. Other properties of these SNe Ia were considered compatible under the precision attained. This kind of study may influence distance determinations since, in many cases, SNe Ia at different redshifts populate different environments. On the second part of this work we studied the characteristics of a new photometric method applied to supernovae: the narrowband filter imaging of the sky. Using photometry simulations and taking the Javalambre Physics of the accelerating universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) project as our fiducial survey, we showed that a realistic narrowband survey is capable of producing massive SNe Ia samples at intermediate redshifts (0 < z < 0;5) with low contamination rate (3% or less), a highly precise photometric redshift (sz = 0;005) and a good precision on their light curve parametrization. Moreover, narrowband filters are able to resolve almost every supernova spectral feature. Together with the rich galaxy information this kind of survey can provide, it should present significant contributions to the better understanding of supernovae and their relationships with their environments.

Três aplicações de campos escalares a cosmologias homogêneas e isotrópicas são apresenta- das, com motivações e resultados diversos. No primeiro caso, uma técnica de multiplicadores de Lagrange é usada para estabelecer vínculos físicos sobre os invariantes de curvatura possivelmente presentes na ação efetiva de baixas energias da teoria de cordas. Um modelo não-singular é obtido em um caso partícula, sugerindo uma possível correção na ação da gravitação compatível com as simetrias das cosmologias de cordas. Numa outra abordagem, é proposto um modelo fenomenológico não-singular baseado no decaimento do termo cosmológico. O modelo tem como principal característica uma passa- gem suave entre uma fase inflacionária do tipo de Sitter e uma fase com dinâmica do tipo Friedmann-Robertson-Walker. Como último exemplo é considerado um campo escalar acoplado termicamente ao fluido cósmico. Adotando um termo dissipativo específico, mas usual, é definido um espaço de parâmetros contendo as cosmologias com campos escalares mais comuns e o modelo padrão como casos particulares. As condições de rolamento lento são obtidas e é apresentado um modelo cosmológico simples para exemplificar o potencial heurístico dos parâmetros propostos. / Three applications of scalar fields to homogeneous and isotropic cosmologies are presented, with distinct motivations and resuIts. In the first case, a Lagrange multiplier technique is used in order to set physical constraints on the curvature invariants possibly present in the low energy effective action of string theory. In a particular case, a nonsingular model is obtained, suggesting a possible correction in the gra- vity action which is compatible to the symmetries of string cosmology. In another approach, a nonsingular model based on the decay of the cosmological term is pro- posed. The model has as a major feature a smooth transition between an inflationary de Sitter phase and a phase with FRW-type dynamics. As a last example, a scalar field thermally coupled to the cosmic fluid is considered. By adop- ting a specific but usual dissipative term, it is defined a parameter space encompassing the most common scalar field cosmologies, as well as the standard model, as limiting cases. Slow roll conditions are obtained and it is presented a simple toy model to illustrate the heuristic potential of the proposed parameters.

Estudamos neste trabalho as propriedades globais dos superaglomerados de galáxias com uma amostra de galáxias observadas espectroscopicamente pelo Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Nossa amostra limitada em volume possui 121.002 galáxias com $M_r<-21$ dentro do intervalo de redshift $0,02<z<0,155$. Identificamos os superaglomerados utilizando os métodos de campo de densidades e \\textit{friends-of-friends}. Escolhemos um parãmetro de suavização $\\sigma=8h^{-1}Mpc$ e amostramos o campo de densidades numa grade de largura $l_{cel}=4h^{-1}Mpc$. Com o intuito de avaliar o efeito do limiar de densidade na identificação dos superaglomerados, escolhemos dois valores: um correspondente ao número máximo de estruturas em grande escala e um com o maior superaglomerado com dimensão de aproximadamente $120h^{-1}Mpc$. Para cada valor obtivemos a riqueza e a luminosidade total dos objetos. Para uma análise morfológica, os Funcionais de Minkowski foram calculados e os superaglomerados foram classificados como filamentos, fitas e panquecas. Analisando possíveis correlações entre as características dos superaglomerados, encontramos que filamentos tendem a ser mais ricos e consequentemente mais luminosos e com uma maior dispersão de velocidades. Usando a distribuição cumulativa de luminosidade de superaglomerados, encontramos que as distribuições de filamentos e fitas são distintas entre si. Num apêndice apresentamos um estudo das populações estelares de galáxias em superaglomerados. Calculamos a densidade local para cada galáxia e estudamos um análogo da relação morfologia-densidade através da relação entre densidade local e os parâmetros espectrais. Nenhuma diferença significativa foi notada entre filamentos, fitas e panquecas. Em outras palavras, comportamentos similares foram identificados para todos os parâmetros espectrais e morfologias dos superaglomerados, em todos os limiares. Resultado semelhante foi obtido para a distribuição cumulativa dos parâmetros espectrais. Finalmente, estudamos a influência dos aglomerados no ambiente interno dos superaglomerados. Valores médios dos parâmetros espectrais foram calculados dentro de esferas centradas nas BCGs (\\textit{Brightest Cluster Galaxies}) e verificamos todos os perfis dos parâmetros espectrais apresentam tendências a populações mais jovens à medida que a distância da BCG aumenta. O perfil mediano apresentou valores assintóticos para distâncias maiores que aproximadamente $8h^{-1}Mpc$. Esse valor é da mesma ordem que o parâmetro de suavização o que usamos, o que pode explicar porque não encontramos relações entre a morfologia dos superaglomerados e os valores médios dos parâmetros espectrais das populações estelares das galáxias que os constituem. / We have studied the global properties of galaxy superclusters with a sample of galaxies observed spectroscopically by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Our volume limited sample has 121,002 galaxies with $M_r<-21$ and the in redshift range $0.02<z<0.155$. We have identified superclusters using the density field and friends-of-friends methods. We have adopted a smoothing parameter $\\sigma=8h^{-1}Mpc$ and sampled the density field in a grid of size $l_{cel}=4h^{-1}Mpc$. In order to evaluate the effect of the threshold density value on supercluster identification, we have choosen two values: the threshold which corresponds to the highest number of superclusters and the threshold where the largest supercluster is about $120h^{-1}Mpc$ long. For each value, we have obtained the richness and the total luminosity of the objects. For the morphological analisys the Minkowski Functionals were calculated and the superclusters were classified as filaments, ribbons and pancakes. Analyzing possible correlations among superclusters features, we have found that filaments tend to be richer and consequently more luminous and have a higher velocity dispersion. Using the cumulative distribution of supercluster luminosities, we have found that the distributions of filaments-like and pancakes-like objects are probably distinct. In an appendix we present a study of stellar populations of galaxies. We have calculated the local density for each galaxy, obtaining an analogous of the morphology-density relation through the relation between local density and spectral parameters. No significative difference in this relation has been noticed among filaments, ribbons and pancakes. In other words, similar behaviors have been identified for all spectral parameters and superclusters morphologies, in all threshold densities. A similar result was obtained for the cumulative distributions of spectral parameters. Finally, we have studied the influence of clusters on the inner environment of superclusters. Average values of spectral parameters were calculated inside spheres centered at each BCG(\\textit{Brightest Cluster Galaxy}) and all spectral parameter profiles have shown trends towards younger populations as the distance from BCG increases. The median profile presented asymptotic values for distances greater than roughly $8h^{-1}Mpc$. Since this is of the same order of magnitude of the smoothing parameter, this might explain why we did not find any relation between the supercluster morphology and the mean value of spectral parameters of the galaxies.

No description available.

According to the current cosmological paradigm, ``Lambda Cold Dark Matter'' (LambdaCDM), only ~20% of the gravitating matter in the universe is made up of ordinary (i.e. baryonic) matter, while the rest consists of invisible dark matter (DM) particles, which existence can be inferred from their gravitational influence on baryonic matter and light. Despite the large success of the LambdaCDM model in explaining the large scale structure of the Universe and the conditions of the early Universe, there has been debate on whether this model can fully explain the observations of low mass (dwarf) galaxies. The Local Group (LG), which hosts most of the known dwarf galaxies, is a unique laboratory to test the predictions of the LambdaCDM model on small scales. I analyze the kinematics of LG members, including the Milky~Way-Andromeda (MW-M31) pair and dwarf galaxies, in order to constrain the mass of the LG. I construct samples of LG analogs from large cosmological N-body simulations, according to the following kinematics constraints: (a) the separation and relative velocity of the MW-M31 pair; (b) the receding velocity of dwarf galaxies in the outskirts of the LG. I find that these constraints yield a median total mass of 2*10^{12} solar masses for the MW and M31, but with a large uncertainty. Based on the mass and the kinematics constraints, I select twelve LG candidates for the APOSTLE simulations project. The APOSTLE project consists of high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of the LG candidates, using the EAGLE galaxy formation model. I show that dwarf satellites of MW and M31 analogs in APOSTLE are in good agreement with observations, in terms of number, luminosity and kinematics. There have been tensions between the observed masses of LG dwarf spheroidals and the predictions of N-body simulations within the LambdaCDM framework; simulations tend to over-predict the mass of dwarfs. This problem is known as the ``too-big-to-fail'' problem. I find that the enclosed mass within the half-light radii of Galactic classical dwarf spheroidals, is in excellent agreement with the simulated satellites in APOSTLE, and that there is no too-big-to-fail problem in APOSTLE simulations. A few factors contribute in solving the problem: (a) the mass of haloes in hydrodynamical simulations are lower compared to their N-body counterparts; (b) stellar mass-halo mass relation in APOSTLE is different than the ones used to argue for the too-big-to-fail problem; (c) number of massive satellites correlates with the virial mass of the host, i.e. MW analogs with virial masses above ~ 3*10^{12} solar masses would have faced too-big-to-fail problems; (d) uncertainties in observations were underestimated in previous works. Stellar mass-halo mass relation in APOSTLE predicts that all isolated dwarf galaxies should live in haloes with maximum circular velocity (V_max) above 20 km/s. Satellite galaxies, however, can inhabit lower mass haloes due to tidal stripping which removes mass from the inner regions of satellites as they orbit their hosts. I examine all satellites of the MW and M31, and find that many of them live in haloes less massive than V_max=20 km/s. I additionally show that the low mass population is following a different trend in stellar mass-size relation compared to the rest of the satellites or field dwarfs. I use stellar mass-halo mass relation of APOSTLE field galaxies, along with tidal stripping trajectories derived in Penarrubia et al., in order to predict the properties of the progenitors of the LG satellites. According to this prediction, some satellites have lost a significant amount of dark matter as well as stellar mass. Cra~II, And~XIX, XXI, and XXV have lost 99 per-cent of their stellar mass in the past. I show that the mass discrepancy-acceleration relation of dwarf galaxies in the LG is at odds with MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) predictions, whereas tidal stripping can explain the observations very well. I compare observed velocity dispersion of LG satellites with the predicted values by MOND. The observations and MOND predictions are inconsistent, in particular in the regime of ultra faint dwarf galaxies. / Graduate

In this project, we explore the area of black holes in String Theory. String Theory has had several successes in describing properties of black holes. Recent progress in String Theory points towards the possibility that black holes should not be thought of as fundamental objects, but rather as statistical descriptions of a huge number of smooth horizonless microstate geometries. We study this deep connection between the microscopic description of black holes and String Theory. The main goal is to understand and learn how some of the modern techniques in String Theory can be applied to model black holes, in particular, calculating an expression for the entropy. The main idea is to construct black hole solutions from intersecting certain types of branes, in the context of Supergravity theories that emerge as low-energy limits of Superstring theories. With this microscopic approach, the aim is to count the number of microstates and then compare with the macroscopic Bekenstein-Hawking entropies. We plan to construct such solutions, for both supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric black holes. Also, this microscopic origin of the black hole entropy could provide new insights to the black hole information paradox. / I detta projekt behandlar vi svarta hål i strängteori. Svarta hål är några av naturens mest fascinerande objekt. De är indirekt observerade, som mörka objekt av stjärnstorlek, vilka finns i binära system, eller som supermassiva objekt i galaxers centra. Svarta hål är vanligare förekommande i universum än vad vi tidigare har trott. Uppskattningsvis finns 100 miljoner mörka objekt enbart i Vintergatan. Svarta hål dyker upp i allmän relativitetsteori som klassiska materielösningar som gravitationellt har kollapsat till en punkt, en \textit{singularitet}.Från en teoretisk synvinkel  förser svarta hål oss med laboratorier för tankeexperiment, där nya teoretiska ideér kan testas. 1976 upptäckte Stephen Hawking att svarta hål inte är så svarta - de sänder ut värmestrålning motsvarande en karaktäristisk temperatur, Hawking-temperaturen. Termiska egenskaper, såsom Bekenstein-Hawking-entropi, associerades nu med svarta hål. 1996 härleddes denna entropi med strängteoretiska metoder. Man bestämde de mikroskopiska frihetsgraderna för ett speciellt slags svarta hål, och sedan dess har strängteori skördat många framgångar inom forskningsområdet. Här studerar vi detta djupa samband mellan strängteori och den mikroskopiska beskrivningen av svarta hål. Huvudmålet är att förstå hur vissa moderna strängteoretiska tekniker kan appliceras på svarta hålmodeller, framför allt när entropin ska beräknas.

There are four Period Luminosity relations from three sources, [3, 5, 9, 11], that are compared for theiraccuracy in calculating distances and to see how much uncertainty has to be considered when calculatingother distances based on these. Here, the relations are compared by using each to calculate and compare thedistances of the stars: BK Vir, L2 Pup, R Hor, R Hya, R Lep, and RR Aql; along with using data from AAVSOand SIMBAD in the calculations. The relations have an uncertainty that ranges from about 30%-40%, exceptfor the relation from [9] that has an uncertainty of 90%

The goal of this project is to gain a better understanding of the temperature fluctuations observed in the CMB. This goal is reached with the aid of a literature study. The report touches upon the origin of the CMB as well as how it is measured, mentioning and explaining relevant concepts such as recombination, photon decoupling, black body radiation, angular power spectrum etc. It is also specified that the temperature of the CMB is not uniform but varies slightly. The fact that these fluctuations show inhomogeneities at the early universe is emphasized as well as the need for a satisfying theory that explains said fluctuations. By presenting and employing inflation theory in combination with quantum mechanics, we show how such a theory can be obtained. Through extensive calculation we show how the primordial power spectrum for zero-point fluctuations during inflation is obtained and how it can be related to the time of recombination through a transfer function, thus explaining the existence of fluctuations in the CMB. / Målet med detta projekt är att få en bättre förståelse om observerade temperaturfluktuationer i CMB. Detta mål är uppnått med hjälp av en litteraturstudie. Rapporten nämner uppkomsten av CMB samt hur den mäts, nämner och förklarar relevanta koncept som rekombination, foton frikoppling, svartkroppstrålning, vinkelkraftspektrum etc. Det är också specificerat att temperaturen av CMB inte är enhetlig utan varierar en aning. Faktumet att dessa fluktuationer visar på inhomogeniteter i det tidiga universum är betonat samt behovet av en tillfredställande teori som förklarar dessa fluktuationer. Genom att presentera och använda inflationsteori i kombination med kvantmekanik visar vi hur en sådan teori kan erhållas. Genom omfattande beräkningar visar vi hur det ursprungliga kraftspektrumet för nollpunktsfluktuationer under inflation är erhållet och hur det kan relateras till tiden för rekombination genom en överföringsfunktion, som således förklarar existensen av fluktuationer i CMB.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / There have been a number of attempts to measure the expansion rate of the Universe using age-dating of Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs). Assuming that stars in LRGs form at the same time, age-dating of two populations of LRGs at different redshifts can provide an estimate of the time different associated with the corresponding redshift interval (dz/dt). This gives a direct estimate of the Hubble parameter H (z) at the average redshift of the two populations. In this thesis, we explore the validity of this method by using two different sets of data. Firstly, we select a homogeneous sample of passively evolving galaxies over 0.10 < z < 0.40 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Seven (SDSS-DR7) catalogue by applying a refined criteria, which is based on absolute magnitude. Secondly, we carry out series of observations on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) to obtain spectra of LRGs at two narrow redshift ranges z ' 0.40 and z ' 0.55 in order to calculate the Hubble parameter H(z) at z ' 0.47. We utilise two distinct methods of age-dating including the use of absorption Lick index lines and full spectral fitting on high signal-to-noise galaxy spectra from our sample. By establishing the age-redshift relation of the quiescent, passively evolving galaxies from SDSS, we obtain three improved new observational H(z) data points which are H(z) = 76.8 5.3 km s􀀀1Mpc􀀀1 at z ' 0.28, H(z) = 78.5 6.8 km s􀀀1Mpc􀀀1 at z ' 0.30 and H(z) = 86.3 7.6 km s􀀀1Mpc􀀀1 at z ' 0.32 respectively. We also find another H(z) value of 105 39 km s􀀀1Mpc􀀀1 at z ' 0.47 when age-dating LRGs observed with SALT. Combining all 4 data points with another 25 data points in the literature, we place better constraints on cosmological models and find the matter density parameter to be constrained by m = 0:32+0:05 􀀀0:06 and the Hubble constant to be H0 =68.5 2.4. These results are very consistent with other studies. Through this work, we are able to demonstrate that the cosmic chronometers approach can potentially be used to explore the evolution of the Universe.

In this work we introduce a fast Bayesian algorithm designed for detecting compact objects immersed in a diffuse background. A general methodology is presented in terms of formal correctness and optimal use of all the available information in a consistent unified framework, where no distinction is made between point sources (unresolved objects), SZ clusters, single or multi-channel detection. An emphasis is placed on the necessity of a multi-frequency, multi-model detection algorithm in order to achieve optimality. We have chosen to use the Bayes/Laplace probability theory as it grants a fully consistent extension of formal deductive logic to a more general inferential system with optimal inclusion of all ancillary information [Jaynes, 2004]. Nonetheless, probability theory only informs us about the plausibility, a ‘degree-of-belief ’, of a proposition given the data, the model that describes it and all ancillary (prior) information. However, detection or classification is mostly about making educated choices and a wrong decision always carries a cost/loss. Only resorting to ‘Decision Theory’, supported by probability theory, one can take the best decisions in terms of maximum yield at minimal cost. Despite the rigorous and formal approach employed, practical efficiency and applicability have always been kept as primary design goals. We have attempted to select and employ the relevant tools to explore a likelihood form and its manifold symmetries to achieve the very high computational performance required not only by our ‘decision machine’ but mostly to tackle large realistic contemporary cosmological data sets. As an illustration, we successfully applied the methodology to ESA’s (European Space Agency) Planck satellite data [Planck Collaboration et al., 2011d]. This data set is large, complex and typical of the contemporary precision observational cosmology state-of-the-art. Two catalogue products are already released: (i) A point sources catalogue [Planck Collaboration et al., 2011e], (ii) A catalogue of galaxy clusters [Planck Collaboration et al., 2011f]. Many other contributions, in science products, as an estimation device, have recently been issued [Planck et al., 2012; Planck Collaboration et al., 2011g,i, 2012a,b,c]. This new method is called ‘PowellSnakes’ (PwS).