CAREER: Near- and Far-Infrared Background Light and the Astrophysical and Cosmological Implications

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CAREER: Near- and Far-Infrared Background Light and the Astrophysical and Cosmological ImplicationsAbstractAST-0645427PI: Asantha CoorayDr. Cooray will carry out a comprehensive research program to characterize the underlying astrophysical and cosmological information contained in the infrared background (IRB) spatial anisotropies at near- and far-IR wavelengths. In the near-IR regime, signatures of primordial galaxies in the background spatial fluctuations will be studied. At far-IR wavelengths, clustering information of dusty, star-forming galaxies will be measured. The main goal of this research program is to expand the science case for anisotropy measurements of IRB and to provide a strong theoretical background to interpret these measurements just as the case has been with respect to CMB anisotropy experiments. As a part of this research project, Dr. Cooray plans to provide training and research experiences for students, with an emphasis on creating opportunities for undergraduate students. This includes direct involvement in international collaborations such as Akari, based in Japan, and Herschel SPIRE, based mostly in the UK. Students will attend collaboration meetings in these countries and will be trained to work with and learn from foreign partners. The PI plans to integrate elements of this research program and other topics in cosmology into a Computational Physics course Dr. Cooray teaches at UC Irvine where the students are recruited for the research program. Over the next three years, Dr. Cooray will also develop a completely new course on how to do "Order of Magnitude Physics" targeting juniors and will also make available the course material publicly from a website. Dr. Cooray will also update an existing Voyager-era "Space Science" course, in the introductory astronomy sequence targeting non-science majors, to a course on "Space Astronomy" as a way to bring new astronomical missions and their results to the classroom.This award is funded by the NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences