EoR-Spec: Revealing the reionization of the Universe with CII intensity mapping

这个项目将绘制星系的形成和演化以及宇宙的大尺度结构。该团队将设计、建造并使用一台成像光谱仪，称为EoR-Spec。EoR-Spec将绘制单电离碳的远红外谱线。这条碳线追溯了恒星形成的位置，并允许绘制宇宙存在的很大一部分恒星形成的历史。这种映射也揭示了宇宙中物质的潜在分布。该仪器将利用一台新的优化望远镜来完成这项任务，该望远镜位于智利北部一座18400英尺高的山上。这个项目为研究生和本科生提供了一个训练基地。PI和Co-I已经或正在培训许多博士和本科生，包括女性和代表性不足的少数民族研究人员。该项目旨在开发一种仪器，以研究从再电离时代（EoR）（第一个星系形成的时期）到“宇宙正午”附近星系中恒星形成的演变。这是通过绘制大区域的158微米[CII]线发射总量来完成的。由于[CII]线追踪恒星的形成，而恒星的形成发生在引力过密度的情况下，因此[CII]线的强度映射追踪了宇宙恒星的形成速度。它还阐明了潜在的和不断发展的宇宙网。为了进行这样的测量，团队将构建EoR-Spec。该仪器将部署在6米口径的Cerro Chajnantor Atcama望远镜（CCAT-prime）上，该望远镜位于智利北部海拔5600米的地方，预计将于2021年底首次亮相。该科学技术由CCAT-prime和最先进的技术组合实现：基于硅衬底反射镜的宽带fabry - p<s:1>干涉仪（FPI）标准子，具有超材料增透涂层和大幅面动能电感探测器（KID）阵列。提案人已经或正在培养20名博士和80名本科生。其中大约一半是女性，大约10名是代表性不足的少数民族（URM）研究人员。当地K-12学校的学生将参观团队实验室，团队科学家将访问当地K-12学校。该团队还计划虚拟实验室访问和仪器和科学的暑期学生研讨会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will map the formation and evolution of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the Universe. The team will design, build and use an imaging spectrometer, which is referred to as EoR-Spec. EoR-Spec will map the far-infrared spectral line of singly ionized carbon. This carbon line traces where stars formed and allows mapping of the history of star formation over a large fraction of the universe’s existence. Such mapping also reveals the underlying distribution of matter in the universe. This instrument will utilize a new optimized telescope for this task located on an 18,400 foot mountain in northern Chile. This program provides a training ground for both graduate and undergraduate students. The PI and Co-I have trained, or are training, many PhDs and undergraduates including female and underrepresented minority researchers. This program seeks to develop an instrument to study the evolution of star formation in galaxies from the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), when the first galaxies were forming to near “Cosmic Noon”. This is done by mapping the aggregate 158 micron [CII] line emission over large regions. Since the [CII] line tracks star formation, and star formation occurs at gravitational over-densities, this [CII] line intensity mapping traces the cosmic star formation rate. It also illuminates the underlying and evolving Cosmic Web. To make such measurements, the team will build EoR-Spec. This instrument will deploy on the 6 meter aperture Cerro Chajnantor Atcama Telescope (CCAT-prime), which is located at 5600m elevation in northern Chile and is expected to see first light in late 2021. The science is enabled by CCAT-prime and a combination of state-of-the-art technologies: broad-band Fabry–Pérot interferometer (FPI) etalons based on silicon substrate mirrors with metamaterial antireflection coatings and large format Kinetic Inductance Detector (KID) arrays. The proposers have trained, or are training 20 PhDs and 80 undergraduates. About half of these are female and about 10 are underrepresented minority (URM) researchers. Students from local K-12 schools will visit team laboratories, and local K-12 schools will be visited by team scientists. The team also plans Virtual Lab Visits and summer student workshops on instrumentation and science.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.