Cosmology with photometric redshift surveys

We explore the utility of future photometric redshift imaging surveys for delineating the large-scale structure of the Universe, and assess the resulting constraints on the cosmological model. We perform two complementary types of analysis: (1) We quantify the statistical confidence and the accuracy with which such surveys will be able to detect and measure characteristic features in the clustering power spectrum such as the acoustic oscillations and the turnover, in a 'model-independent' fashion. We show for example that a 10,000 deg^2 imaging survey with depth r = 22.5 and photometric redshift accuracy dz/(1+z) = 0.03 will detect the acoustic oscillations with 99.9% confidence, measuring the associated preferred cosmological scale with 2% precision. Such a survey will also detect the turnover with 95% confidence, determining the corresponding scale with 20% accuracy. (2) By assuming a Lambda-CDM model power spectrum we calculate the confidence with which a non-zero baryon fraction can be deduced from such future galaxy surveys. We quantify 'wiggle detection' by calculating the number of standard deviations by which the baryon fraction is measured, after marginalizing over the shape parameter. This is typically a factor of four more significant (in terms of number of standard deviations) than the 'model-independent' result. We conclude that the precision with which the clustering pattern may be inferred from future photometric redshift surveys will be competitive with contemporaneous spectroscopic redshift surveys, assuming that systematic effects can be controlled. We also note that an analysis of Luminous Red Galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey may yield a marginal detection of acoustic oscillations in the imaging survey, in addition to that recently reported for the spectroscopic component.Comment: 23 pages, 22 figures, version accepted by MNRA

Microfluidics for effective concentration and sorting of waterborne protozoan pathogens

We report on an inertial focussing based microfluidics technology for concentrating waterborne protozoa, achieving a 96% recovery rate of Cryptosporidium parvum and 86% for Giardia lamblia at a throughput (mL/min) capable of replacing centrifugation. The approach can easily be extended to other parasites and also bacteria

Research Recap: Can information improve the functioning of courts?

Countries where courts are weak, and rights are poorly enforced, tend to be countries with worse economic outcomes. To better understand the relationship between the functioning of judicial systems and economic growth, Dal Bó and Finan (2020) reviewed available evidence and constructed a framework for understanding the role of institutions in economic development. They note that despite the importance of the courts in resolving disputes, facilitating a healthy business climate, and protecting citizen rights, we have seen very little empirical evidence to show what makes courts function more fairly and quickly. Dal Bó and Finan systematically outlined open questions to encourage researchers to address these gaps. This helped launch the EDI programme as part of a Path-Finding Paper series. The goal of the Economic Development and Institutions (EDI) programme, an investment generously funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), is to build a body of evidence and insights into the impact of institutional changes on economic growth

On-chip fabrication to add temperature control to a microfluidic solution exchange system

We present a concept for the post production modification of commercially available microfluidic devices to incorporate local temperature control, thus allowing for the exact alignment of heating structures with the existing features, e.g. wells, channels or valves, of a system. Specifically, we demonstrate the application of programmable local heating, controlled by computerized PI regulation, to a rapid solution exchanger. Characterisation of the system to show that both uniform temperature distributions and temperature gradients can be established, and to confirm that the solution exchange properties are undisturbed by heating, was achieved using in situ thermometry and amperometry. \ua9 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Combining cosmological datasets: hyperparameters and Bayesian evidence

A method is presented for performing joint analyses of cosmological datasets, in which the weight assigned to each dataset is determined directly by it own statistical properties. The weights are considered in a Bayesian context as a set of hyperparameters, which are then marginalised over in order to recover the posterior distribution as a function only of the cosmological parameters of interest. In the case of a Gaussian likelihood function, this marginalisation may be performed analytically. Calculation of the Bayesian evidence for the data, with and without the introduction of hyperparameters, enables a direct determination of whether the data warrant the introduction of weights into the analysis; this generalises the standard likelihood ratio approach to model comparison. The method is illustrated by application to the classic toy problem of fitting a straight line to a set of data. A cosmological illustration of the technique is also presented, in which the latest measurements of the cosmic microwave background power spectrum are used to infer constraints on cosmological parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to MNRA