Theory HEP Seminar

Cosmology Beyond Equilibrium: Science with CMB spectral distortions

Jens Chluba

University of Manchester

CMB spectral distortions, tiny departures of the average CMB frequency spectrum from that of a blackbody, provide a powerful probe of early-universe and particle physics. Several theoretical advances in the past years have paved the path towards making use of this information. In my talk, I will briefly highlight some of these exciting developments. However, the crucial next step is now to address the observational and experimental challenges, and I will mention several spectrometer concepts that may allow us to open this new window for cosmology.