Chapters
- Why are CMB spectral distortions so interesting?
- Theory of CMB spectral distortions and thermalization physics
- Distortions for different scenarios and what we may learn from them
Abstract
Since
the measurements with COBE/FIRAS in the mid-90's we know that the
energy spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is extremely
close to that of a perfect blackbody. However, a number of early
Universe processes should create spectral distortions at a level within
reach of present day technology. In my lectures, I will give a
broad-brush overview of recent theoretical and experimental
developments, explaining why future measurements of the CMB spectrum
will open an unexplored new window to early-universe and particle
physics. This provides an exciting new path forward in CMB cosmology
which is complementary to planned and ongoing searches for primordial
B-mode polarization signals. I will also highlight some of the
challenges due to foregrounds.
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Bibliography
- Articles
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- Sunyaev & Zeldovich, 1970, Ap&SS, 7, 20
- Danese & de Zotti, 1982, A&A, 107, 39
- Burigana, Danese & de Zotti, 1991, ApJ, 379, 1
- Hu & Silk, 1993, Phys. Rev. D., 48, 485
- Fixsen et al., 1996, ApJ, 473, 576
- Kogut et al., 2011, JCAP, 7, 25
- JC & Sunyaev, 2012, MNRAS, 419, 1294
- JC, 2016, MNRAS, 460, 227
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