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Speaker: Brendan Crill (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) – Title: Sensitivity limits to cosmological constraints on early Universe physics: lessons from Planck for future measurements
February 27 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Research Progress Meeting
Date: February 27, 2024
Time: 4:00- 5:00 pm
Location: Sessler Conference Room- 50A-5132 [In-Person and HYBRID]
Speaker: Brendan Crill (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Title: Sensitivity limits to cosmological constraints on early Universe physics: lessons from Planck for future measurements
Abstract:
The past several decades have seen enormous breakthroughs in the understanding of fundamental physics of the Universe through observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large scale structure. A synergy of rapid advances in technology, data analysis capabilities, and theory has led to an abundance of measurements, which in turn has seen the success of the Lambda-CDM model seeded by early-Universe inflation. This theory explains observations very few free parameters has emerged at explaining the observed structure of the universe.
Further refinements to this model and further characterization of observables in the CMB are a high priority for a deeper understanding of the nature of the physics of inflation and the evolution of structure across cosmic time. This will come about through measurements of non-Gaussianity, lensing, and the imprint of tensor modes in large-scale CMB polarization among other observables.
To achieve these refinements, projects have focused on improvements in raw sensitivity via new and more powerful detectors arrays with vastly more elements.
However, the success of earlier measurements has only come about through understanding and correction of systematic errors, understanding astrophysical foregrounds: more powerful instruments with better sensitivity are likely to uncover new challenges.
Here I describe lessons learned from the Planck mission at handling unforeseen instrumental and observational challenges and discuss prospects for fulfilling the sensitivity promise offered by large-scale structure projects such as SPHEREx and future CMB measurements.
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