scholarly journals Can Machine Learning Provide Understanding? How Cosmologists Use Machine Learning to Understand Observations of the Universe

Erkenntnis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Meskhidze
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Scientific Investigations ◽  
Computational Expense ◽  
Black Boxes ◽  
The Universe

AbstractThe increasing precision of observations of the large-scale structure of the universe has created a problem for simulators: running the simulations necessary to interpret these observations has become impractical. Simulators have thus turned to machine learning (ML) algorithms instead. Though ML decreases computational expense, one might be worried about the use of ML for scientific investigations: How can algorithms that have repeatedly been described as black-boxes deliver scientific understanding? In this paper, I investigate how cosmologists employ ML, arguing that in this context, ML algorithms should not be considered black-boxes and can deliver genuine scientific understanding. Accordingly, understanding the methodological role of ML algorithms is crucial to understanding the types of questions they are capable of, and ought to be responsible for, answering.

ON THE UNIVERSAL CHARACTER OF THE LARGE SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE

1992 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 303-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAREK DEMIAŃSKI ◽  
ANDREJ G. DOROSHKEVICH
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Gravitational Instability ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Navier Stokes Equation ◽  
Inertial Instability ◽  
Point Correlation ◽  
The Universe

We review different theories on the formation of the large scale structure of the Universe. Special emphasis is put on the theory of inertial instability. We show that, for a large class of initial spectra, the resulting two point correlation functions are similar. We also discuss the adhesion theory which uses the Burgers equation, Navier-Stokes equation or coagulation process. We review the Zeldovich theory of gravitational instability and discuss the internal structure of pancakes. Finally, we discuss the role of the velocity potential in determining the global characteristics of large scale structure (distribution of caustics, scale of voids, etc.). In the last section, we list the main unsolved problems and the main successes of the theory of formation of large scale structure.

scholarly journals Formation of the large-scale structure of the Universe

2011 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 983-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir N Lukash ◽  
Elena V Mikheeva ◽  
A M Malinovsky
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
The Universe

The Large‐Scale Structure of the Universe

Physics Today ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 62-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. E. Peebles ◽  
Simon D. M. White
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
The Universe

scholarly journals The Theory of the Large Scale Structure of the Universe

1978 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 409-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya B. Zeldovich
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Sigmund Freud ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
The Other ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Single Statement

The God-father of psychoanalysis Professor Sigmund Freud taught us that the behaviour of adults depends on their early childhood experiences. in the same spirit, the problem of cosmological analysis is to derive the observed present day situation and structure of the Universe from certain plausible assumptions about its early behaviour. Perhaps the most important single statement about the large scale structure is that there is no structure at all on the largest scale − 1000 Mpc and more. On this scale the Universe is rather uniform, structureless and isotropically expanding - just according to the simplified pictures of Einstein-Friedmann……. Humason, Hubble…. Robertson, Walker. On the other hand there is a lot of structure on the scale of 100 or 50 Mpc and less. There are clusters and superclusters of galaxies.

scholarly journals Large-Scale Structure in the Universe: Spatial Distribution and Peculiar Velocities

1987 ◽  
Vol 124 ◽  
pp. 335-348
Author(s):  
Neta A. Bahcall
Keyword(s):  
Dark Matter ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Clusters Of Galaxies ◽  
Large Scale Structures ◽  
Peculiar Velocities ◽  
Scale Structures ◽  
The Universe

The evidence for the existence of very large scale structures, ∼ 100h−1Mpc in size, as derived from the spatial distribution of clusters of galaxies is summarized. Detection of a ∼ 2000 kms−1 elongation in the redshift direction in the distribution of the clusters is also described. Possible causes of the effect are peculiar velocities of clusters on scales of 10–100h−1Mpc and geometrical elongation of superclusters. If the effect is entirely due to the peculiar velocities of clusters, then superclusters have masses of order 1016.5M⊙ and may contain a larger amount of dark matter than previously anticipated.

scholarly journals Large Scale Structure of the Universe: Theoretical Problems

1990 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
E Saar
Keyword(s):  
Early Universe ◽  
Present Status ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Fractal Model ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Universe

Implications of the observed large scale structure on the physics of the early universe are described. A short review of Soviet work on the subject is given, and the present status of the fractal model of the large scale structure is discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document