Colloquium by Liam Connor, Harvard
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) have held promise as a cosmological probe ever since their serendipitous discovery in 2007. FRBs are brief, bright, and ubiquitous, with volumetric rates that exceed even core-collapse supernovae. Each pulse carries with it information about the ionized plasma through which it traveled, allowing us to measure directly the lion’s share of baryons in the Universe. These baryons are diffuse, ionized, and difficult to detect otherwise, hence claims that they are "missing". I will present early results on the distribution of cosmological baryons based on a growing sample of FRBs localized to their host galaxies. I will then describe the DSA-2000, an upcoming array of 2000x5m antennas in Nevada that will lead to unprecedented advances in long-wavelength survey science, including fast radio bursts.
Followed by wine and cheese.
Host: Kathryn Johnston