Astrofísica e Tecnologia Aeroespacial

Cosmic Microwave Background New Data and Implications for the Early Universe

Abstract

Carsten Blanco*

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the afterglow of the Big Bang, a faint cosmic radiation filling the universe and providing a snapshot of the cosmos as it was about 380,000 years after its birth. This relic radiation is a crucial tool for cosmologists, offering insights into the early universe's conditions, composition, and evolution. Recent data from various space missions and ground-based observatories have significantly advanced our understanding of the CMB, leading to profound implications for our knowledge of the early universe. One of the most significant advancements in CMB research came from the Planck satellite, launched by the European Space Agency. Planck provided the most detailed map of the CMB to date, capturing tiny temperature fluctuations across the sky. These fluctuations, known as anisotropies, reflect the density variations in the early universe that eventually led to the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures. The high-resolution data from Planck has allowed scientists to refine their measurements of key cosmological parameters, such as the universe's age, composition, and rate of expansion.