Mapping Dark Matter on Large and Small Scales with the Cosmic Microwave Background

宇宙微波背景光(CMB)携带着大量未被利用的信息，包括宇宙是如何产生的，以及难以捉摸的中微子粒子的性质。新一代CMB实验即将上线，部分原因是对实验基础设施的大量投资。然而，迫切需要在分析当前和即将公布的数据方面投入大量资金来补充这一点。这项奖励将允许进行必要的数据分析，以使用高级ACTPol(AdvACT)数据测量中微子粒子的质量。该奖项还将允许利用西蒙斯天文台(SO)的数据，开发分析来探测早期宇宙的引力波，以了解宇宙是如何产生的。这项提议更广泛的影响是，PI将给年轻的女本科生、小学生和公众带来宇宙学研究的兴奋。国际天文台将通过以下方式做到这一点：1)通过石溪女性科学与工程(WISE)荣誉计划指导和指导女本科生；2)作为ASTRO计划的一部分，在当地小学担任“客座课堂天文学家”；3)每年就各种主题进行多次公开演讲，如暗物质、暗能量、早期宇宙、引力波和宇宙中微子背景。这一提议的第一个研究目标是利用AdvACT数据测量CMB光在经过我们时被引力透镜弯曲了多少，以便测量中微子粒子的质量。第二个研究目标是共同开发B型去偏振分析，以探测原始引力波，以及监督关键的SO科学目标所需的所有CMB透镜分析。这项拟议的研究具有潜在的变革性，因为它可能导致使用AdvACT数据检测中微子质量的总和。此外，这项研究可以利用SO数据探测原始引力波，为我们的宇宙如何形成提供关键的线索。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The light of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) carries a wealth of untapped information including how the Universe was created and the properties of the elusive neutrino particles. A new generation of CMB experiments are coming online, due in part to a significant investment in experimental infrastructure. However, there is a critical need to complement this with a significant investment in the analysis of the current and upcoming data. This award will allow the necessary data analysis to measure the masses of the neutrino particles with Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) data. This award will also allow the development of analysis to detect gravitational waves from the early Universe, using Simons Observatory (SO) data,to understand how the Universe was created. The broader impacts of this proposal are that the PI will bring the excitement of cosmological research to young female undergraduates, elementary-school students, and the public. The PI will do this by: 1) mentoring and instructing women undergraduates through the Stony Brook Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Honors program, by 2) being a ``visiting classroom astronomer'' in local elementary schools as part of the Project ASTRO program, and by 3) giving public talks several times per year on a variety of topics such as Dark Matter, Dark Energy, the Early Universe, Gravitational Waves, and the Cosmic Neutrino Background. The first research objective of this proposal is to measure how much gravitational lensing has bent the CMB light as this light has travelled to us, using AdvACT data, in order to measure the masses of the neutrino particles. The second research objective is to co-develop the B-mode delensing analysis to detect primordial gravitational waves, as well as oversee all CMB lensing analyses for SO needed for key SO science goals. The proposed research is potentially transformational because it could result in a detection of the sum of the neutrino masses with AdvACT data. In addition, this research could enable a detection of primordial gravitational waves with SO data, shedding critical light on how our Universe began.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.