Anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background

    General
    Description

    The general goal of this project is to determine and characterize the spatial and spectral variations in the temperature and polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background in angular scales from several arcminutes to several degrees. The primordial matter density fluctuations which originated the structure in the matter distribution of the present Universe, left imprinted inhomogeneities in the CMB temperature distribution, that are mathematically encoded in the so-called angular power spectrum. Initially, pioneering experiments like the COBE satellite (whose results deserved the Nobel Prize on Physics 2006) or the Tenerife CMB experiment demonstrated in the 90s that the level of anisotropy was about one part in a hundred thousands at angular scales of several degrees. Obtaining CMB maps at various frequencies with sufficient sensitivity to detect structures at this level is of fundamental importance to extract information on the power spectrum of primordial density fluctuations, to prove the existence of an inflationary period in the Early Universe and to establish the ultimate nature of the dark matter and dark energy. Recently, the WMAP satellite obtained CMB maps with unprecedented sensitivity that allowed to set restrictions on a large number of cosmological parameters.

    The focus of this project is to undertake measurements at gradually higher angular resolutions and sensitivities, by using different experiments that have been operative from the Teide Observatory, like the Tenerife experiment, the IAC-Bartol experiment or the JBO-IAC interferometer. More recently, the Very Small Array interferometer performed observations between 1999 and 2008. At that time the COSMOSOMAS experiment was also operative, its goal having been not only the characterization of the primary CMB anisotropies but also the study and characterization of the Galactic foreground contamination. In more recent years the activity in this project has focused in the scientific exploitation of data from the Planck satellite, and in the development, operation and exploitation of the QUIJOTE experiment. Now that the Planck mission has been completed and finished, the activity is focused in the scientific exploitation of QUIJOTE, in the development of new instrumentation for QUIJOTE, and in in the development of new experiments that are being deployed or that will be deployed at the Teide Observatory: GroundBRID, STRIP, KISS and TMS.

    Principal investigator
    Project staff
    Collaborators
    Dr.
    Fernando Atrio Barandela
    Dr.
    Enrique Martínez González
    Dr.
    Carlos Hernández Monteagudo
    1. 6-7 june: XV QUIJOTE Scientific Meeting (IFCA, Santander)
    2. July: publication of the final results (12 articles) and data from the Planck satellite.
    3. 15-19 october: "CMB foregrounds for B-mode studies" conference, organised within the Radioforegrounds proyect, IV AME workshop, and XVI QUIJOTE Scientific Meeting (all these eventes were celebrated at the IAC)
    4. October: installation of the dome of the GroundBIRD experiment, at the Teide Observatory.
    5. December: aceptation of the third QUIJOTE scientific article (Poidevin et al. 2019)

    Related publications

    • Strong Evidence of Anomalous Microwave Emission from the Flux Density Spectrum of M31

      We have observed the Andromeda galaxy, Messier 31 (M31), at 6.7 GHz with the Sardinia Radio Telescope. We mapped the radio emission in the C-band, re-analyzed WMAP and Planck maps, as well as other ancillary data, and we have derived an overall integrated flux density spectrum from the radio to the infrared. This allowed us to estimate the emission

      Buzzelli, A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      6
      2019
      Citations
      21
    • QUIJOTE scientific results - III. Microwave spectrum of intensity and polarization in the Taurus Molecular Cloud complex and L1527

      We present new intensity and polarization observations of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC) region in the frequency range 10-20 GHz with the multifrequency instrument (MFI) mounted on the first telescope of the Q-U-I-JOint TEnerife (QUIJOTE) experiment. From the combination of the QUIJOTE data with the WMAP 9-yr data release, the Planck second data

      Poidevin, F. et al.

      Advertised on:

      6
      2019
      Citations
      8
    • The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey. II. First data release

      The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is an ongoing sensitive, high-resolution 120-168 MHz survey of the entire northern sky for which observations are now 20% complete. We present our first full-quality public data release. For this data release 424 square degrees, or 2% of the eventual coverage, in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right

      Shimwell, T. W. et al.

      Advertised on:

      2
      2019
      Citations
      422
    • Improved CMB anisotropy constraints on primordial magnetic fields from the post-recombination ionization history

      We investigate the impact of a stochastic background of primordial magnetic fields (PMF) generated before recombination on the ionization history of the Universe and on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Pre-recombination PMFs are dissipated during recombination and reionization via decaying MHD turbulence and ambipolar diffusion

      Rubiño-Martín, J. A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      3
      2019
      Citations
      35
    • Planck intermediate results. LIV. The Planck multi-frequency catalogue of non-thermal sources

      This paper presents the Planck Multi-frequency Catalogue of Non-thermal (i.e. synchrotron-dominated) Sources (PCNT) observed between 30 and 857 GHz by the ESA Planck mission. This catalogue was constructed by selecting objects detected in the full mission all-sky temperature maps at 30 and 143 GHz, with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N)> 3 in at least

      Akrami, Y. et al.

      Advertised on:

      11
      2018
      Citations
      21
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Survey requirements and mission design

      Future observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation have the potential to answer some of the most fundamental questions of modern physics and cosmology, including: what physical process gave birth to the Universe we see today? What are the dark matter and dark energy that seem to constitute 95% of the energy density of the

      Delabrouille, J. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      134
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: The instrument

      We describe a space-borne, multi-band, multi-beam polarimeter aiming at a precise and accurate measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The instrument is optimized to be compatible with the strict budget requirements of a medium-size space mission within the Cosmic Vision Programme of the European Space Agency. The

      de Bernardis, P. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      30
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Inflation

      We forecast the scientific capabilities to improve our understanding of cosmic inflation of CORE, a proposed CMB space satellite submitted in response to the ESA fifth call for a medium-size mission opportunity. The CORE satellite will map the CMB anisotropies in temperature and polarization in 19 frequency channels spanning the range 60–600 GHz

      Finelli, F. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      162
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cosmological parameters

      We forecast the main cosmological parameter constraints achievable with the CORE space mission which is dedicated to mapping the polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). CORE was recently submitted in response to ESA's fifth call for medium-sized mission proposals (M5). Here we report the results from our pre-submission study of the

      Di Valentino, E. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      142
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Gravitational lensing of the CMB

      Lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is now a well-developed probe of the clustering of the large-scale mass distribution over a broad range of redshifts. By exploiting the non-Gaussian imprints of lensing in the polarization of the CMB, the CORE mission will allow production of a clean map of the lensing deflections over nearly the

      Challinor, A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      37
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cluster science

      We examine the cosmological constraints that can be achieved with a galaxy cluster survey with the future CORE space mission. Using realistic simulations of the millimeter sky, produced with the latest version of the Planck Sky Model, we characterize the CORE cluster catalogues as a function of the main mission performance parameters. We pay

      Melin, J.-B. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      24
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Extragalactic sources in cosmic microwave background maps

      We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment for studies of extragalactic sources. Our analysis has particular bearing on the definition of the future space project, CORE, that has been submitted in response to ESA's call for a Medium-size mission opportunity as the successor of the Planck

      De Zotti, G. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      29
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Effects of observer peculiar motion

      We discuss the effects on the cosmic microwave background (CMB), cosmic infrared background (CIB), and thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect due to the peculiar motion of an observer with respect to the CMB rest frame, which induces boosting effects. After a brief review of the current observational and theoretical status, we investigate the scientific

      Burigana, C. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      25
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Mitigation of systematic effects

      We present an analysis of the main systematic effects that could impact the measurement of CMB polarization with the proposed CORE space mission. We employ timeline-to-map simulations to verify that the CORE instrumental set-up and scanning strategy allow us to measure sky polarization to a level of accuracy adequate to the mission science goals

      Natoli, P. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      16
    • Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: B-mode component separation

      We demonstrate that, for the baseline design of the CORE satellite mission, the polarized foregrounds can be controlled at the level required to allow the detection of the primordial cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode polarization with the desired accuracy at both reionization and recombination scales, for tensor-to-scalar ratio values of

      Remazeilles, M. et al.

      Advertised on:

      4
      2018
      Citations
      68
    • The State-of-Play of Anomalous Microwave Emission (AME) research

      Anomalous Microwave Emission (AME) is a component of diffuse Galactic radiation observed at frequencies in the range ≈ 10-60 GHz. AME was first detected in 1996 and recognised as an additional component of emission in 1997. Since then, AME has been observed by a range of experiments and in a variety of environments. AME is spatially correlated with

      Dickinson, C. et al.

      Advertised on:

      2
      2018
      Citations
      83
    • Relative Contribution of the Hydrogen 2 s Two-Photon Decay and Lyman- α Escape Channels during the Epoch of Cosmological Recombination

      We discuss the evolution of the ratio in number of recombinations due to 2 s two photon escape and due to the escape of Lyman- α photons from the resonance during the epoch of cosmological recombination, within the width of the last scattering surface and near its boundaries. We discuss how this ratio evolves in time, and how it defines the profile

      Rubiño-Martin, J. A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      1
      2018
      Citations
      1
    • Planck intermediate results. XXVIII. Interstellar gas and dust in the Chamaeleon clouds as seen by Fermi LAT and Planck

      The nearby Chamaeleon clouds have been observed in γ rays by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and in thermal dust emission by Planck and IRAS. Cosmic rays and large dust grains, if smoothly mixed with gas, can jointly serve with the H i and 12CO radio data to (i) map the hydrogen column densities, NH, in the different gas phases, in particular

      Planck Collaboration et al.

      Advertised on:

      10
      2015
      Citations
      70
    • Evidence of the Missing Baryons from the Kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in Planck Data

      We estimate the amount of the missing baryons detected by the Planck measurements of the cosmic microwave background in the direction of central galaxies (CGs) identified in the Sloan galaxy survey. The peculiar motion of the gas inside and around the CGs unveils values of the Thomson optical depth τT in the range 0.2 - 2 ×1 0-4 , indicating that

      Hernández-Monteagudo, C. et al.

      Advertised on:

      11
      2015
      Citations
      70
    • Planck intermediate results. XXV. The Andromeda galaxy as seen by Planck

      The Andromeda galaxy (M 31) is one of a few galaxies that has sufficient angular size on the sky to be resolved by the Planck satellite. Planck has detected M 31 in all of its frequency bands, and has mapped out the dust emission with the High Frequency Instrument, clearly resolving multiple spiralarms and sub-features. We examine the morphology of

      Planck Collaboration et al.

      Advertised on:

      10
      2015
      Citations
      48

    Related talks

    No related talks were found.

    Related conferences

    • XIX Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics "The Cosmic Microwave | Background: from quantum fluctuations to the present Universe"

      Tenerife, Canary Islands
      Spain
      Date
      -
      Past
    Related projects
    Parte del equipo del IAC con el sistema de desarrollo del software de vuelo
    Herschel y Planck

    IAC participation in the HERSCHEL AND PLANCK SURVEYOR space missions. Since 1996 the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias has been a contributor to the concept and development processes for the scientific payload of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Herschel Space Observatory and Planck Surveyor missions.

    Jorge
    Casares Velázquez
    Ismael
    Pérez Fournon
    Rafael
    Rebolo López
    COSMOSOMAS
    COSMOSOMAS

    The COSMOSOMAS experiment was running for several years at the Observatorio del Teide, measuring fossil radiation of the universe arriving to the Earth in the form of microwaves.

    Rafael
    Rebolo López
    Polarímetro CMB instalado en Izaña
    Polarímetro CMB

    A Cosmic Microwave Background Polarimeter

    Rafael
    Rebolo López
    VSA Extension en el observatorio de Izaña
    VSA Extension

    Very Small Array Extension

    Rafael
    Rebolo López