Fundamental physics with the Square Kilometre Array

A. Weltman, P. Bull, S. Camera, K. Kelley, H. Padmanabhan, J. Pritchard, A. Raccanelli, S. Riemer-Sørensen, L. Shao, S. Andrianomena, E. Athanassoula, D. Bacon, R. Barkana, G. Bertone, C. Bœhm, C. Bonvin, A. Bosma, M. Brüggen, C. Burigana, F. CaloreJ. A.R. Cembranos, C. Clarkson, R. M.T. Connors, De La Cruz-Dombriz, P. K.S. Dunsby, J. Fonseca, N. Fornengo, D. Gaggero, I. Harrison, J. Larena, Y. Z. Ma, R. Maartens, M. Méndez-Isla, S. D. Mohanty, S. Murray, D. Parkinson, A. Pourtsidou, P. J. Quinn, M. Regis, P. Saha, M. Sahlén, M. Sakellariadou, J. Silk, T. Trombetti, F. Vazza, T. Venumadhav, F. Vidotto, F. Villaescusa-Navarro, Y. Wang, C. Weniger, L. Wolz, F. Zhang, B. M. Gaensler*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

251 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a planned large radio interferometer designed to operate over a wide range of frequencies, and with an order of magnitude greater sensitivity and survey speed than any current radio telescope. The SKA will address many important topics in astronomy, ranging from planet formation to distant galaxies. However, in this work, we consider the perspective of the SKA as a facility for studying physics. We review four areas in which the SKA is expected to make major contributions to our understanding of fundamental physics: cosmic dawn and reionisation; gravity and gravitational radiation; cosmology and dark energy; and dark matter and astroparticle physics. These discussions demonstrate that the SKA will be a spectacular physics machine, which will provide many new breakthroughs and novel insights on matter, energy, and spacetime.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere002
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2020

Funding

FundersFunder number
Science and Technology Facilities CouncilST/P000649/1
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme706896, 714196, 664931, 638743, 1505861
Australian Research CouncilDE170100356, FT130101086
National Science Foundation1505861, 0734800

    Keywords

    • astroparticle physics
    • cosmology
    • gravitation
    • pulsars: general
    • reionisation
    • telescopes

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