Kyle Helson (NASA Goddard) "The Status and Outlook of Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Measurements"

Abstract:
The detailed characterization of the intensity and polarization Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation provides a powerful tool to constrain the properties of early Universe. The polarization induced by a stochastic gravitational wave background in this epoch induces a distinctive and measurable signature of primordial inflationary processes. Presently the field has a healthy contingent of ground, balloon, and space based missions. In this talk I will discuss a brief history of CMB measurements, the current status of the field and outlook for the future. I will also discuss on-going work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the development of polarization-sensitive detectors for a future satellite CMB polarization mission and their application in ground based instruments.