The First Objects in the Universe

对宇宙微波背景的观测表明，早期宇宙是一个平滑而简单的带有中性气体成分的宇宙。这与星系间电离气体复杂且不均匀的局部宇宙形成了鲜明对比。在宇宙年龄的前5%-10%期间，研究导致这种转变的过程是现代宇宙学中最重要的课题之一。这个发现项目将集中在对早期宇宙中关键天体物理过程的理论描述上。这项研究将是对这个面对面时代的观察的补充，并将以大量新望远镜的问世为指导。

Observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background show a smooth and simple early universe with a neutral gas component. This is in contrast to the local universe which is complex and inhomogeneous with ionized intergalactic gas. The study of the processes leading to this transformation during the first 5-10% of the universes age is one of the most important topics in modern cosmology. This Discovery Project will focus on a theoretical description of the key astrophysical processes in the early universe. The research will compliment and be guided by observations of this facinating era by the raft of new telescopes becoming available.