Particle Astrophysics Seminar: The bright future of cosmology with SPT-3G

  • May 18, 2020, 2:00 pm US/Central
  • Amy Bender, Argonne National Laboratory

Abstract: Observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) probe a diverse set of fundamental physics in both the early and late universe.  CMB measurements are a cornerstone of our now exceptionally precise Lambda-CDM model of cosmology, however, many questions remain.  Did an inflationary epoch occur a fraction of a second after the Big Bang?  What is the nature of dark energy?  Is the Hubble constant controversy new physics or simply measurement systematics?  I won’t answer any of these questions in this seminar, but I will present the latest status of the SPT-3G receiver.  Now in the second year of a five-year survey, SPT-3G data is already providing tantalizing hints about what scientific goalposts will be possible in the very near future.  I’ll highlight a few of these opportunities as well as providing perspectives on the upcoming CMB-S4 experiment.

For more information, please contact Yu-Dai Tsai at ytsaiATfnal.gov.