Cosmology with the Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background

  • Physics and Astronomy Colloquium

September 26, 2025 3:30 PM - September 26, 2025 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100

Host:
Richard Rand
Presenter:
Darcy Barron
Video Recording
The cosmic microwave background (CMB) was discovered 60 years ago, as a mysterious uniform glow coming from all directions. The CMB was realized to be thermal radiation leftover from the Big Bang in the early universe, and its existence and properties are cornerstones of our modern understanding of the universe. Current efforts to precisely characterize the CMB are motivated by the possibility of new physics beyond our current standard model of the universe. A key observable is the pattern of polarization across the sky, which yields new information about conditions when the CMB was formed. In this talk, I will discuss techniques, technologies, and challenges in making these precision measurements.