Measurement of the large scale structure of the Universe

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Acoustic processes in the plasma which filled the Universe for the first 380,000 years, until it became transparent at redshift 1,000 have left two important signatures. They form the recognizable pattern of brightness and polarization variations on the sky at microwave wavelengths, the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background. They also lead to an an enhancement seen in the density of galaxies on very large scales. The research proposed here is to continue our program of performing groundbreaking measurements of these acoustic ripples. All of these experiments follow the extraordinarily successful approach we took with WMAP: a small team works together on the full project from conception, instrument design and observations through analysis to scientific results. We have demonstrated an excellent track record with his approach of performing sensitive experiments which require the invention of new apparatus and also of providing an excellent setting for training of young researchers and engineers. The Cosmic Microwave Background: Measurement of the anisotropy and polarization of the CMB provides precise cosmological tests. Our measurements with WMAP, the highest cited body of work in any branch of science over the past decade, have established the age, density, flatness, and contents of the Universe with percent precision. They provide the best upper limits on the mass of neutrinos and the clearest evidence for dark energy. WMAP is credited with establishing the age of precision cosmology. With the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) we have extended CMB measurements to five times higher angular resolution than Planck, made the first detection of gravitational lensing of the CMB and the first measurement the motion of galaxy clusters compared to it. ACT has added polarization capability to study the mechanisms which drove inflation in the very early Universe and sharpen our understanding of more recent structures formation. We propose to add more frequency coverage and survey the entire sky accessible to the LSST with five times better angular resolution than Planck. CHIME: I am the PI of CHIME, a novel radio telescope dedicated to studying baryon acoustic oscillations over the redshift range from 0.8 to 2.5, the epoch when dark energy becomes dominant in the Universe. Our 40m square prototype will provide crucial performance tests and a useful measurement of the hydrogen itensity power spectrum over the next year. We will build the full instrument, 100mx100m, in 2014-2016. CHIME is the highest rated medium scale facility in the Canadian astronomy community's decadal plan. Instrumentation: Readout electronics which we built for SCUBA-2, have become the standard tool in a revolution in capabilities of large format bolometer arrays and are in use around the world. The CMB experiments include ACT, ABS, CLASS, Bicep, Spider, PIPER and Spud. Submillimeter instruments include SCUBA-2, ZSpec, Gizmo-II and a Goddard instrument for Sofia. NIST have used these readout electronics for homeland security to search for non-metallic weapons. The CHIME team has developed state-of-the-art low noise receivers and a sophisticated digital correlator whose throughput is sufficient to handle all of the phone calls in North America all the time. HQP: My laboratory provides a unique environment where young researchers are exposed to the full life cycle of development of scientific instruments and to their use in groundbreaking experiment. Three of my former post docs are now professors at major research universities. Five of my former Research Associates hold senior jobs in BC high technology firms. CHIME has attracted many talented young researchers into Canadian Radio Astronomy.