Analysis of Atacama Cosmology Telescope data: cosmology beyond Planck

这项工作的目的是测试描述宇宙起源和演化的标准宇宙学模型。在这个模型中，宇宙是由未知的组成部分所主导的：暗能量和暗物质，其巨大的宇宙结构是通过引力从宇宙开始时留下的初始特征发展起来的。这个模型面临两个问题：从两个不同的测量结果推断出的宇宙当前的膨胀率是不一致的，而宇宙结构的预期大小也在不同的测量结果中存在一些分歧。这项工作的重点是通过使用新数据对宇宙结构的膨胀率和大小进行独立测量来测试这些问题。该项目的重点是支持和培训该领域的年轻妇女，并采取步骤招募妇女进入该领域，这项工作将使用新的高分辨率、高灵敏度的宇宙微波背景辐射测量，对宇宙膨胀率进行独立测量，并对宇宙结构的大小进行精确估计。该项目使用阿塔卡马宇宙学望远镜，这是一台位于智利的6米长的NSF望远镜，目前正在观测毫米波天空。这项工作将涉及计算微波背景辐射图的关键统计特性，以推断宇宙的膨胀率，并将这些数据与光学超超级凸轮测量的星系扭曲测量相结合，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估，更广泛的影响审查标准。

This purpose of this work is to test the standard cosmological model that describes the origins and evolution of the universe. In this model the universe is dominated by as-yet unknown components: dark energy and dark matter, and its large cosmic structures have grown via gravity from initial features imprinted at the start of the universe. This model faces two current issues: the current expansion rate of the universe inferred from two different measurements is in disagreement, and the expected size of cosmic structures is also in some disagreement from different measurements. This work focuses on testing those issues by using new data to make an independent measurement of the expansion rate and the sizes of cosmic structures. The project will have an emphasis on the support and training of junior women in the field, as well as taking steps to recruit women into the field.This work will use new high resolution, high sensitivity measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation to make an independent measurement of the expansion rate of the universe, and a refined estimate of the sizes of cosmic structures. The project uses the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, a six-meter NSF-supported telescope in Chile, currently observing the millimeter-wave sky. This work will involve computing key statistical properties of maps of the microwave background radiation to infer the expansion rate of the universe, and combining these data with measurements of the distortions of galaxies from the optical Hyper-Suprime Cam survey, to infer the size of cosmic structures.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.