Fruits of the Universe – Making the most of maps of the microwave background

by Robert Crittenden (University of Portsmouth)

Thursday 29 Jan 2015, 12:30 → 13:00 Europe/Berlin

Foyer, 1st floor (Excellence Cluster Universe)

Microwave background measurements have revolutionised cosmology, telling us a great deal about the composition and evolution of the Universe. Most analyses focus on the power spectrum of the fluctuations, but there is potentially much more to be gained by going beyond such a radical compression of the data; primordial non-Gaussianities could tell us much about the early universe. However, before we can interpret any signal as primordial, it is essential we understand the intrinsic non-Gaussianity that arises along the way, through the non-linear evolution of perturbations. This talk will focus on the non-Gaussianity and B-modes that arise naturally through the non-linear evolution of the microwave background. The audience is cordially invited to discuss and comment. During this 30-minutes lunch event, we will serve drinks and fingerfood. Venue: Cluster building, Foyer 1st floor, Boltzmannstr. 2, Garching