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The New era of EUropean CMB Cosmology with the South Pole Telescope

Project description

Standard model of cosmology called into question

Deep in Antarctica lies the South Pole Telescope, the largest telescope on the planet specially designed to measure the cosmic microwave background. Using its third-generation camera (SPT-3G), it will carry out a five-year study to observe the earliest instants of the universe. The EU-funded NEUCosmoS project plans to conduct a robust analysis to extract the most precise cosmological information from this third-generation detector. The main goal is to unravel some of the most severe inconsistencies that are currently threatening the hitherto successful standard model of cosmology (Lambda cold dark matter). These inconsistencies include the steadily growing 5σ difference in the expansion rate measurements of the universe and discrepancies in Hubble constant measurements.

Objective

The goal of NEUCosmoS is to unravel some of the most severe inconsistencies that are currently threatening the so-far very successful standard model of cosmology (ΛCDM). The most critical one is the steadily growing 5σ difference in the measurement of the expansion rate of the universe today, the Hubble constant, from early-time probes (CMB) versus late-time ones (supernovae Ia). Additional discrepancies persist in the amplitude of matter perturbations, σ8, and in other fundamental parameters, such as the curvature of the universe. These anomalies, if confirmed, will have revolutionary implications for physics.
In this context, NEUCosmoS will provide new, ground-breaking insight through the development of a robust analysis pipeline, allowing us to extract the most precise cosmological information from one of the forefront, post-Planck CMB experiments: the South Pole Telescope 3rd-Generation (SPT-3G). SPT-3G will measure the CMB small-scale polarization with unprecedented accuracy over the next 5 years, opening an entirely new window in CMB cosmology, with potentially original discoveries on its own. However, this statistical power will be useless without an analysis able to guarantee robustness against systematic effects, which the PI of this proposal is an expert on. For this reason, she was invited by the SPT collaboration to lead this effort, opening a unique opportunity of European access to the SPT-3G data. NEUCosmoS will provide a framework to transform the existing SPT-3G pipeline into one with quality comparable to satellite missions, building upon the PI’s Planck experience and tools, adapting them to the new challenge. The NEUCosmoS team will drive the interpretation of current and future hints of new physics in a reliable way, with statistical power comparable to the Planck satellite, and in combination with it, almost doubling the constraining capability. This will pave the way to a future contribution by Europe to the next-generation of CMB experiments.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2020-COG

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Host institution

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 971 587,00
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 971 587,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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