Seminars & Events

Physics Division Astrophysics Luncheon
"Astrophysics and Cosmology with the South Pole Telescope"

DATE: August 5, 2010
TIME: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
SPEAKER: Clarence Chang, Research Scientist, University of Chicago, Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics
LOCATION: Cafeteria, Private Dining Rooms A&B, Argonne National Laboratory

Description:
The South Pole Telescope (SPT) is a 10-m mm-wave telescope located at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The SPT achieved first light in early 2007 and has been surveying the sky at 3, 2, and 1-mm. SPT utilizes a Transition Edge Sensor bolometer array to make it the most sensitive survey instrument at these observing wavelengths. The first results from this survey include the discovery of a new population of mm-wave sources believed to be distant dusty star forming galaxies, discovery of new galaxy clusters through the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, and measuring the power spectrum of distant unresolved galaxy clusters. In this talk, I will review these initial results and discuss the current status of SPT. I will also describe our plans for the next SPT project, SPTpol, which will utilize new bolometer technology developed in collaboration with ANL to conduct the most precise measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background.

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