Speaker: Rahma Alfarsy

Title: Quasar Reverberation for Cosmic Characterisation

Abstract: The Universes’ content, expansion and curvature can be characterised using observational probes such as Type 1a supernovae or the cosmic microwave background. However, a complete consensus has not been reached as to the value and nature of these cosmological parameters. Exploring new probes may shed new light onto the matter. This talk will present Quasars as candidate standardizable candles. A few methods have been suggested but this talk will focus on studying light echoes from the Quasars environment using a technique known as reverberation mapping. I will also introduce the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and the plan to test if its observations of an incredible number of quasars can make progress with Quasar cosmology.