Optical Dust Polarization Measurements in the Galactic Halo: A Tool for Detecting Primordial Gravity Waves, Studying Galactic Magnetic Field and Determining Dust Properties

银河晕中的光学尘埃偏振测量：探测原始重力波、研究银河磁场和确定尘埃特性的工具

• 批准号: 0707932
• 负责人: David Spergel
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Princeton University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0707932&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Optical; Dust; Polarization; Measurements; Galactic

Dr. David Spergel (Princeton University) will use archival measurements of optical dust polarization to 2000 stars in the galactic halo to generate a polarization template map for microwave background studies. Because polarized millimeter and sub-millimeter emission from dust grains is the dominant foreground for cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization studies, this template will be essential for efforts to detect primordial gravitational waves. The dust polarization measurements will also be used to study the properties of dust grains, to measure the amplitude and spectrum of magnetic field turbulence in the galactic disk and to fix the zero-point of the dust extinction maps.The dust polarization measurements will help cosmologists working to detect primordial gravitational waves. These gravitational waves were produced during the first moments of the big bang. Their detection would be of broad interest to both scientists and the general public. This research program will lead to the release of dust template maps that will be widely used by many polarization experiments now under development. The improved measurements of the zero-point in dust extinction maps would be widely used in extragalactic studies. This research program will also train undergraduate and graduate students. By engaging students in substantive research, the program will help to develop the next generation of U.S. scientists.

David Spergel 博士（普林斯顿大学）将利用对银河晕中 2000 颗恒星的光学尘埃偏振的档案测量来生成用于微波背景研究的偏振模板图。 由于尘埃颗粒的偏振毫米和亚毫米发射是宇宙微波背景（CMB）偏振研究的主要前景，因此该模板对于探测原初引力波的工作至关重要。尘埃偏振测量还将用于研究尘埃颗粒的特性，测量银盘中磁场湍流的幅度和频谱，并确定尘埃消光图的零点。尘埃偏振测量将帮助宇宙学家致力于探测原始引力波。这些引力波是在大爆炸的最初时刻产生的。它们的发现将引起科学家和公众的广泛兴趣。 该研究计划将导致尘埃模板图的发布，该图将被目前正在开发的许多偏振实验广泛使用。尘埃消光图中零点的改进测量将广泛用于河外研究。 该研究计划还将培训本科生和研究生。通过让学生参与实质性研究，该项目将有助于培养下一代美国科学家。