Andrew Hamilton and his group want to determine the exact curvature of space, the structure of dark matter, the nature of dark energy, the origin of chemical elements, conditions that give rise to galaxy clusters, and the history of the universe concealed within variations of the cosmic microwave background. They also want to know about the origins of quasars and the formation of the universe's first stars and galaxies more than 13 billion years ago.

The cosmic web.

Understanding dark matter's role in the distribution of galaxies in the universe is a central question in cosmology. Using a supercomputer simulation of the formation of the first stars and galaxies, Hamilton's group recently modeled the gravitational collapse of exotic dark matter and the creation of gaseous filamentary structures (a cosmic web) that attracted hydrogen and helium gases, initiating star and galaxy creation. The new model uses single galaxies, each with an attached halo, as the fundamental objects for study. This makes it easier to compare observations with theoretical predictions. With it, the researchers are better able to explain the relationship between the distribution of galaxies and the distribution of dark matter in galaxy haloes.

Hamilton and other astrophysicists analyze huge amounts of data from space-based observatories to find clues to help them answer questions posed by cosmologists. Thus far, research findings support the following features of cosmology's Standard Model: (1) the universe is spatially flat; (2) about 70% of the universe consists of dark energy that is causing an accelerated expansion of the universe; (3) more than a fourth of the universe is made from cold, dark matter, possibly consisting of massive particles hundreds of times larger than a proton; (4) about 4% of the universe is made from baryonic matter, which comprises the atoms and molecules that make up people and the familiar objects of our world; and (5) the rest of the universe consists of neutrinos and cosmic microwave background radiation.