How Fast Are We Moving? The Puzzle of Our Velocity from Radio Galaxies
Centrum Fizyki Teoretycznej PAN via YouTube
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Overview
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Explore the puzzling discrepancy between cosmic microwave background measurements and radio galaxy observations in this cosmology and astrophysics seminar. Examine how the cosmic microwave background's dipole pattern suggests Earth moves at 370 km/s relative to the cosmic rest frame, while radio galaxy data indicates a velocity exceeding 1000 km/s. Learn about the theoretical framework behind relativistic dipole effects in radio source counts, first proposed by Ellis & Baldwin in 1984, and discover how modern wide-angle radio surveys have enabled precise measurements of these effects. Investigate the components of our cosmic motion, including the Sun's movement within the Milky Way, the galaxy's motion toward the Local Group barycenter, and the Local Group's movement through space. Review recent experimental results from multiple radio surveys that consistently show amplitudes several times larger than predicted by standard cosmological models, including findings from Böhme et al. (2025) showing amplitudes more than 3.5 times the expected values. Consider potential systematic effects that might explain this discrepancy and examine alternative methods for measuring our motion relative to the universe's large-scale structure, along with prospects for future observations that may resolve this cosmological puzzle.
Syllabus
Maciej Bilicki (CTP PAS): How fast are we moving? The puzzle of our velocity from radio galaxies
Taught by
Centrum Fizyki Teoretycznej PAN