Cosmology and fundamental physics with the ELT-ANDES spectrograph

Area of Science:

• Astrophysics
• Cosmology
• Fundamental Physics

Background:

• Spectroscopy historically drove major physics discoveries, from quantum mechanics to quantum electrodynamics.
• 21st-century astrophysical spectrographs, such as the Advanced Near-Infrared Spectrograph (ANDES) at the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), offer new avenues for discovering new physics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of state-of-the-art astrophysical spectrographs, specifically ANDES, in the search for and characterization of new fundamental physics.
• To forecast the scientific impact of ANDES on key cosmological questions using detailed simulations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing detailed simulations and forecast techniques to analyze the capabilities of ANDES.
• Focusing on four key areas: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, cosmic microwave background temperature evolution, universality of physical laws, and redshift drift (cosmic expansion history).

Main Results:

• ANDES is poised to play a crucial role in testing fundamental physics and characterizing new discoveries.
• The study forecasts significant contributions to understanding Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, CMB temperature, physical law universality, and cosmic expansion.
• Even null results from ANDES will provide valuable constraints on cosmological paradigms, competitive with traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• ANDES represents a significant opportunity for fundamental cosmology research in the 2030s.
• The instrument's capabilities will yield crucial insights into the universe's fundamental properties, regardless of whether new phenomena are detected.
• The research highlights the necessary preparations for the ESO community to maximize ANDES's scientific output in fundamental cosmology.