A “baby photo” of the universe was born
The final result of the Atacama Cosmological Telescope provides the sharpest and most sensitive view of the early universe that everyone has ever seen.
Here, the Atacama Cosmological Telescope at the Chilean peak in Cerotco mapped the afterglow of the Big Bang from 2007 to 2022.
Mark Devlin, Associate Director of Atacama Cosmology, Professor Rees Flower of Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Sometimes, a photograph is worth more than a thousand words. For example, one measurement related to the photo below (a new high-resolution snapshot of the early Cosmos) is 1,900 “Zetta-Suns”.
Two views of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), and the afterglow of the Big Bang, as seen in the Atacama Cosmological Telescope (ACT). The image above shows ACT measurements of CMB temperatures that enhance previous measurements from the Planck satellite, while the image below shows CMB polarization measurements. Blue and orange indicate variations in temperature and polarization. The zoomed-in part of each image is 10 degrees or 20 times the width of the moon seen from Earth.
ACT collaboration. ESA/Planck Collaboration
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It corresponds to almost 2 trillion suns. This is the mass (or counterpart as energy) that indicates these images exist throughout the observable universe, extending nearly 50 billion light years in every direction. Released today, the image is one of the final results of the Atacama Cosmological Telescope (ACT), a National Science Foundation-funded observation deck that operated on the peaks of Chile from 2007 to 2022. Present the resultstomorrow at the American Physical Society conference, not yet peer reviewed.
“What I like about these new images is how we bring the whole history of the universe back to life,” says Joe Dunkley, a cosmologist at Princeton University who led the ACT analysis group. “The fact that we can see the sky to see the sweep of space time has made us see this more than ever.”
What did ACT see?
The ACT observed the afterglow of the Big Bang, the background of the cosmic microwave (CMB) that was emitted when the universe was only 380,000 years ago. At the time, the universe was essentially a fireball, expanding hot and opaque plasma bubbles as the surface of the sun. This opacity makes the oldest CMB light visible to anyone. Based on past CMB research (such as the Planck satellite of the European Space Agency), ACT measured the intensity and polarization of the light emitted by this material, which has unprecedented acuteness and sensitivity. These values were then converted to temperature, density, and velocity estimates of the swirling primitive things where the galaxy and the larger cosmic structures eventually merge. These estimates allow ACT researchers to effectively evaluate the sum of everything and how they came together.
How many “things” is there in the universe?
Of the incredible amounts of 1,900 Zetta-San that researchers have come up with, only 100 Zetta-San come from regular substances. Hydrogen accounts for three-quarters of the latter, and helium makes up the rest. Both of these elements appeared shortly after the Big Bang. Cellular carbon, bone calcium, breathing oxygen, and even gem gold are similar to rounded errors after the first star ignition.
Of the remaining 1,800 Zetta-San worthy ingredients, 500 Zetta-San represent dark matter. Dark matter is an invisible material that acts as a gravity adhesive that connects galaxies. But the bulk, which is about 1,300 Zetta-suns, comes from the density of dark energy, the mystical force that powers the acceleration of the expansion velocity of the universe. Therefore, most of the “things” in the universe are in the form of things that actually have only placeholder names, and are very limited understandings.
Why is this important?
Despite its seemingly unbeknownst to us, the most prominent figure to assign to this comprehensive universe’s “baby picture” is undoubtedly the 2 trillion Sun (or a thousand words about that). In fact, it’s six. The total number of core parameters connected to the standard model of cosmology is called lambda-CDM (“lambda” is the shorthand for dark energy, and “CDM” refers to a slowly, “cold” type of dark matter inferred from observation). When properly placed, only six numbers seem to explain incredibly thoroughly the curious patterns engraved in the CMB and how they connected to the universe we live in today.
Planck’s results already suggested similar conclusions. However, with a resolution five times higher than ACT and sensitivity to polarization three times more, researchers wanted to see new physics signs beyond Lambda-CDM that its predecessor may have missed. “We thought the detailed patterns found in ACT polarization data would reveal something about alternative universe models,” Dunkley said.
And it did, but not as desired.
What’s next?
Rather than discovering Telltale’s habit of exploring the path to unleashing dark matter, dark energy, and other mysterious properties of the universe, the results of the ACT instead reinforced the soundness of the standard model of cosmology. A hoped breakthrough may have to wait for new results from new generation CMB surveys such as Simons Observatory. Currently being built It is exactly the same as the previous Chilean summit.
” [Lambda-CDM] The model is perfectly matched with all data. This allows us to look back at this early observable time. For example, we don’t know what dark matter and dark energy are. However, this outcome is important. Because it shows that many other things have not happened that could have made the universe more complicated. The early universe doesn’t seem to be where our problems are. ”
