Project description
Improving polarisation measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation
The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is very faint, leftover radiation filling all space from the time the Universe began. Funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the PROTOCALC project plans to develop a prototype calibrator for improving measurements of the angle of the CMB polarisation plane. Polarisation orientation systematics currently limit scientists' ability to constrain cosmological parameters. PROTOCALC will develop a prototype calibration source to overcome this limit, dramatically improving instrumental accuracy and enabling the discovery of complementary aspects of cosmic evolution. The new experimental method will also enable us to discover or place extremely tight limits on cosmic birefringence, a phenomenon that is not predicted by the Standard Model.
Objective
My project will enable unprecedented measurements for cosmology and fundamental physics, thanks to a prototype calibrator for a novel method to measure the angle of the polarization plane of the Cosmic Microwave Background. Polarization orientation systematics currently limit our ability to constrain cosmological parameters. PROTOCALC will provide a prototype calibration source to overcome this limit, dramatically improving instrumental accuracy. This experimental method will also enable us to discover (or place extremely tight limits on) paradigm shifting phenomena through Cosmic Birefringence, a departure from Standard Model. During the 2-year program I will develop, build and deploy a prototype for a novel precision calibrator making use of microwave sources between 40 and 150 GHz coupled to precise polarizing filters. The orientation of the source polarization plane will be measured by star cameras and gyroscopes with arcsecond accuracy. POLOCALC will take advantage of my and the supervisor's ongoing participation in the Simons Observatory which already includes the AdvACTPol and Simons Array projects, and will operate from the same site in the Atacama desert in Chile. Our project will operate from from a drone flying in sight of the telescope, allowing high elevation, far field measurements. This project will show the feasibility for polarization angle and beam calibrators for future CMB polarimeters.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physics
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensors
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robotsdrones
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyphysical cosmology
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
20126 Milano
Italy