Skip to ContentSkip to Navigation
About us Faculty of Science and Engineering News

A scale model for the early Universe

26 May 2015

The Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) has awarded Prof. Diederik Roest of the Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity a ‘FOM-Projectruimte’ grant for his project A scale model for the early Universe.

Planck satellite measuring the cosmic microwave background
Planck satellite measuring the cosmic microwave background

Recent measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) by the Planck satellite have mapped out the early Universe in unprecedented detail. This has yielded crucial information on the properties of inflation, the proposed phase of accelerated expansion after the Big Bang during which the Universe became completely smooth up to quantum fluctuations. The properties of these quantum fluctuations can still be measured today as temperature fluctuations and polarization patterns in the CMB.

The Planck results suggest a remarkably simple characterization of this inflationary Universe, which can be phrased as an effective scale model. In his project, Roest investigates the observational predictions and the theoretical basis of this scale model. The latter includes e.g. the relation to cosmological attractors and spontaneous symmetry breaking. This will enhance our understanding of the inflationary phase, which has set the initial conditions for the entire Universe.

Last modified:10 February 2017 3.00 p.m.

More news

  • 20 January 2025

    A water-resistant, self-healing sensor

    It’s stretchable, adhesive, self-healing in case it breaks, water and freezetolerant, and it conducts electricity. PhD student Zeyu Zhang developed a so-called hydrogel under supervision of Patrizio Raffa, associate professor of Smart and...

  • 06 January 2025

    Medical AI as a sparring partner

    Andra Cristiana Minculescu studied how an AI-tool could collaborate with a team of medical experts. Today, her project was awarded the Impact Award of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Groningen. 

  • 06 January 2025

    How a contrarian cracked rubber recycling

    A small company in Grootegast produces bicycle baskets and slippers from recycled rubber. That is remarkable because, until recently, it was impossible to recycle rubber. However, Francesco Picchioni, Professor of Chemical Technology at the...