The British Science Festival

Bringing the latest in science discovery to a city near you

26/05/2013

Show me content for... +

Show me content for...
Events
Resources
Volunteers
Teachers
Professional development
Families & teenagers (aged 12+)
Families (children aged 12 & under)

Donate

register

Register with us and you can....

  • Sign up to our free e-communications
  • Become a member of the Association
  • Create your own web account, & post comments
  • Be part of British Science Festival
  • Save your favourite items

Register

Keep up to date with the latest news from the British Science Assocation. Sign up to our RSS feeds and take us with you when you are on the move.

You are here

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Maggie Aderin-Pocock

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Brian Cox

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Bill Bryson

Famous faces in Aberdeen

John Krebs

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Paul Nurse

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Richard Wiseman

Famous faces in Aberdeen

Susan Greenfield

The Great Impact of Mathematics in Astronomy

State: 
Declined
Contact Details
I am the event manager: 
I am the event manager
Event Manager Info
1. Event Manager Organisation: 
University of Leicester
2. Event Manager First Name: 
Jeremy
3. Event Manager Surname: 
Levesley
4. Event Manager Address line 1: 
Department of Mathematics
5. Event Manager Address line 2: 
University of Leicester
6. Event Manager Address line 3: 
Leicester LE1 7RH
7. Event Manager Postcode: 
LE1 7RH
8. Event Manager Telephone number: 
0116 2523897
9. Event Manager Email address: 
Your event
10. Which of the following areas of science does you event best fit into?: 
Mathematical Sciences
Event type and format
11. Do you have a preferred day for your event to take place on?: 
Wednesday 11 September 2013
17. Length: 
2 hour
18. What will the format of your event be?: 
Talks/presentations - 1 person presenting new science or for a specific audience with Q & A; or a TED talk
19. Please give any details about the format of your event you feel are relevant.: 
Two researchers in mathematical astronomy, plus a celebrity who supports science talking about the impact of mathematics in science. We are thinking of people like Jon Culshaw or Dara O'Brien (though not necessarily them).
20. Location/venue: 
Venue and location to be allocated by the Festival team
21. Venue requirements: 
Lecture theatre with usual AVS.
22. Audience Level: 
Families & teenagers ( aged 12+)
Event details
12. Event title: 
The Great Impact of Mathematics in Astronomy
13. Description of the core message of your event and key topics to be covered (c.100 words): 
Unravelling the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy is one of the major challenges of today's science. While such is pursued, the gathering of empirical evidence for/against Dark Matter (DM) in individual real-life galaxies is a related interesting exercise. The fundamental problem in the quantification of dark matter in these systems is that direct observational evidence of DM remains elusive, and this owes to the definition that DM neither emits light of its own nor does it allow for any incident light to be reflected off itself. Consequently, we cannot invoke the more easily available astronomical images but are left to make predictions about the DM content of individual galaxies using information obtained from measurable manifestations of the gravitational field of the galaxy. Indeed, such measurements are difficult, noisy and few! This results in the learning of the DM content becoming sensitive to the choice of the mathematical model adopted to describe the available data. The Cassini mission detected in 2004 a magnificent plume of a few hundred kilometres height, topped the South pole of Enceladus, the sixth largest moon of Saturn. Further investigations shown that it was formed by vapour and icy grains, shot from cracks in icy shell of the satellite. We made a mathematical model of the phenomena and have predicted, that deeply beneath the moon surface, an ocean of liquid water must exist. Moreover, latter observations demonstrated that the liquid ocean is salty, which implies its global nature and contact with the rocky core of the planet. The existence of liquid water put Enceladus to the list of places where exo-terrestrial life may be possible.
16. How does your event relate to this year's theme of 'Making waves'?: 
No
Press interest
23. Do you consider that the event will attract press interest?: 
Yes
24. If yes, please summarise up to 4 key points you think will be of press interest: 
The Icy Geysers of Enceladus have been of press interest in the past. The question of life in the solar system - related to the presence of liquid water in the solar system captures the imagination. The question of the nature and quantification of dark matter is of broad interest. There will be celebrity input.
25. Do you have any other comments you would like to make or information you would like to include?: 
No.

Twitter latest