Colloquium by Dr. Howard HUI (Caltech)

Cosmology offers a unique window into the physics of the early universe. In this talk, I will present recent progress from two complementary efforts to probe fundamental physics through observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large-scale structure. The BICEP/Keck experiments, operating from the South Pole, are designed to measure the polarization of the CMB at degree angular scales. These measurements place increasingly tight constraints on inflationary gravitational waves and offer insight into the conditions of the primordial universe. I will also introduce SPHEREx, a NASA satellite launched in March 2025, which is mapping the entire near-infrared sky in 102 spectral bands. The SPHEREx all-sky data set will enable measurements of large-scale structure and constraints on inflationary models via primordial non-Gaussianity, while also providing a comprehensive view of galaxy evolution and interstellar ices. I will give an overview of both experiments, highlight the latest results from BICEP, and share early data from SPHEREx.

You may also like the following events from Department of Physics, CUHK 香港中文大學物理系:

• Next Monday, 25th August, 10:00 am, Seminar by Professor Hangwen GUO (Fudan University) in Hong Kong