Measuring the Reionization of the Universe and the Growth of Molecular Gas at Cosmic Dawn with TIME

这个项目将开发一种新的仪器来研究宇宙中穿越宇宙时间的微弱物体。这个项目将阐明第一个天体是如何电离宇宙中中性氢的，这个时代被称为再电离。该项目将测量这一时期新恒星形成的速度。该项目还将吸引年轻科学家，特别是来自STEM领域代表性不足背景的本科生和高中生。该项目将帮助学生在各种机构建立导师和同伴网络。这样的支持网络对天文学的进步至关重要。在来自边缘群体的学生中，他们往往是弱势的或缺席的。因此，本项目将鼓励本科生和研究生更广泛地参与科学。该项目将建立层析电离碳测绘实验（TIME），一个毫米波波长光谱仪。TIME具有16个空间像素和60个频谱像素，频率范围为200-300 GHz。《时代》杂志将使用一种叫做线强度映射的新技术来研究宇宙。利用这项技术，研究人员将可靠地测量三维波动，追踪红移[CII]辐射跨越再电离时代，以探索我们的宇宙在该时代的演变。TIME还将探测低红移CO波动，绘制由CO分子追踪的分子气体的宇宙历史，阐明这种气体在宇宙恒星形成高峰期（宇宙正午）的作用，这是星系演化的关键时期。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 develop a novel instrument to study the faint objects in our universe across cosmic time. This project will illuminate how the first astronomical objects ionized neutral hydrogen in the universe, an epoch called reionization. The project will measure the rate at which new stars formed during this epoch. The project will also engage young scientists, particularly undergraduates and high school students from backgrounds that are typically underrepresented in STEM. The project will help the students build networks of mentors and peers at a variety of institutions. Such support networks are critical for advancement in astronomy. They are often weak or absent among students from marginalized groups. Thus this project will encourage broadening participation in science among undergraduates and graduate students.This project will build the Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME), a millimeter wavelength spectrometer. TIME has 16 spatial and 60 spectral pixels and spans a frequency range of 200-300 GHz. TIME will use a novel technique for studying the universe called line intensity mapping. Using this technique, investigators will robustly measure the 3D fluctuations that trace redshifted [CII] emission spanning the epoch of reionization to probe the evolution of our universe over that epoch. TIME will also detect low-redshift CO fluctuations and map the cosmic history of molecular gas, traced by the CO molecule, elucidating the role of this gas in the epoch of peak cosmic star formation (cosmic noon), which is a critical period of galaxy evolution.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.