Fredagskollokvium: The CO-Mapping Array Pathfinder (COMAP)

Kieran Cleary, Caltech

The Epoch of Reionization (EoR) is currently the focus of a number of experiments aiming to use the 21 cm emission from hydrogen to constrain the formation of large scale structure. These experiments are subject to several observational challenges, including Galactic and extragalactic foregrounds, systematics and instrumental effects. Cross-correlation of the 21 cm signal with another signal from the same redshift can hep with detection, validation and interpretation. Carbon monoxide (CO) has an number of useful properties for this purpose and, since it traces the ionization, is complementary to HI, which traces the neutral gas. COMAP is an experiment aiming to perform line intensity mapping using CO from the EoR. Ultimately, this faint signal will require all-sky measurements, over multiple frequencies with broadband digital backends. As a first step, COMAP will deploy a 19-pixel array on a single 10-m dish at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory in California, aiming to detect the CO (1-0) power spectrum from redshifts 2-3. A detection of this signal will help constrain the properties of the faint galaxy population at these redshifts and point the way towards future experiments aiming to measure this signal from the EoR.

 

( This is the last colloquium of the semester. Therefore, we have a special programme: Per Lilje will say some words in Peisestua at 11:00. Then we have the usual colloquium with Kieran Cleary talking about COMAP. Finally, we go out in to the garden to grill some sausages and mingle! )

Publisert 9. mai 2017 21:57 - Sist endret 21. juni 2017 15:17