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Precise Readings From a South Pole Telescope Can Change Everything Humans Know About Cosmos

The Cosmic Microwave Background, also known as the earliest light of the universe, was captured through SPT-3G in the South Pole Telescope.

BY SOMDATTA MAITY

PUBLISHED 8 HOURS AGO

The South Pole Telescope in November of 2009, before the blue siding was added to the SPT control room and walkway (Representative Cover Image Source: Wikimedia Commons | Photo by Amble)

Better insights on the mysterious cosmic microwave background have arrived, and possibly more are on the way, according to scientists. The cosmic microwave background is deemed the earliest light in the universe, formed just after the "Big Bang" event, which supposedly created the universe. For years, they have been trying to observe the phenomenon in as much detail as possible. Recently, several measurements associated with the cosmic microwave background were released by the University of Chicago. These measurements are special, as they have been captured by the South Pole Telescope using SPT-3G, a camera with more precision than any of the previous versions.

This map of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, imprinted on the sky when the universe was 370,000 years old, shows tiny temperature fluctuations that correspond to regions of slightly different densities. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons | Photo by ESA and the Planck Collaboration)

Observations from SPT-3G

The cosmic microwave background is supposedly a storehouse of information about the early universe, but remains imperceptible to the human eye, according to the University of Chicago. Researchers believe it dates back to around 13 billion years, just after the "Big Bang." They have faced issues in monitoring the light, as it is extremely faint. The variations in the light are even more vague. The South Pole Telescope, placed in Antarctica, has been observing the phenomenon since 2007. Antarctica was the best location for this pursuit due to its clear sky and dry conditions. Several cameras have been installed in the telescope; however, the most recent one, SPT-3G, has proven to be a cut above the rest. It is more precise, as it supposedly contains ten times more detectors than its previous counterparts.

In the latest release, measurements associated with observations taken by the SPT-3G camera from 2019 to 2020 have been published. These observations considered 1/25th of the sky and are believed to be more detailed than past measurements. Researchers are hopeful that with these readings, they can bring down the number of possible answers regarding several cosmic questions, like the formation and evolution of the universe. This process of reduction is called constraints. They will also be able to cross-check the validity of the fundamental model of the universe, used by many for analysis worldwide, with the South Pole Telescope findings.

The South Pole Telescope during the long polar night (Representative Image Source: Wikimedia Commons | Photo by Report of the U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel)

Constraints proposed by New Findings

Two of the major issues that scientists face at present are the validity of Lambda-CDM and Hubble Tension to learn the saga of the universe. The former is a model explaining the formation of the cosmos, supported by insights from the Planck satellite mission. It is the fundamental model of the universe for most scientists. "Hubble Tension" refers to the rate of expansion of the universe, in which the cosmic microwave background plays a crucial role. The new constraints proposed by readings from the South Pole Telescope shed some light on these issues. The findings confirm the validity of Hubble Tension at very high statistical significance.

They also align with the constraints put forward by readings from the Planck satellite mission and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile, and hence, by extension, support the Lambda-CDM model. These latest readings also highlight the discrepancy between the latest constraints proposed by the South Pole Telescope and large-scale surveys collected on the movement of galaxies. At present, researchers have not noted any deviation from the standard Lambda-CDM model, but if there really is any difference between reality and current assertion, they believe it will come out through the upcoming data.

Stars in the sky. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Dawam Syah / 500px)

Benefits of Precise Observations

Researchers believe that the readings from the South Pole Telescope are more precise than previous observations, even the ones from space-based telescopes. Before the South Pole Telescope's readings, observations undertaken by the Planck satellite were believed as a 'holy grail' when it came to the cosmic microwave background. The precision of these new readings will allow experts to check whether the assertions proposed by the satellite are correct and, if not, what improvements will be needed. The SPT-3G camera has made a vivid difference to cosmos observation, as it has put ground-based readings on par with space-based observations.

The released measurements are a combination of the South Pole Telescope's observations and data gathered by other ground-based telescopes, according to Phys.org. The advanced technology will push experts one step further in their search for the full picture of the cosmos. "This is a watershed moment for cosmic microwave background cosmology," said Tom Crawford, deputy director of the South Pole Telescope and research professor at the University of Chicago. "It ushers in a new era, in which our understanding of the universe will be advanced in large part by ground-based cosmic microwave background experiments." More data with this methodology could also give experts an idea about dark energy.