200 most important Astronomy topics - Sykalo Eugen 2023

The Planck Mission

The Planck Mission was a space observatory designed and operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) to study the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which is the radiation left over from the Big Bang. The mission was named after the German physicist Max Planck, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918 for his work on quantum mechanics.

The Cosmic Microwave Background

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is a relic radiation from the Big Bang that permeates the entire universe. It was first discovered in 1964 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1978 for their discovery. The CMB is the oldest light in the universe, and it provides a snapshot of the universe at a very early stage in its history.

The CMB was formed about 380,000 years after the Big Bang, when the universe had cooled enough for atoms to form. Before this time, the universe was filled with a hot, dense plasma of particles and radiation, and light could not travel very far before being absorbed or scattered. But once the universe cooled enough, the particles combined to form neutral atoms, and the radiation was free to travel through space.

The CMB radiation is extremely uniform, with a temperature of about 2.7 Kelvin (K) in all directions. However, there are small variations in the temperature of the radiation, which correspond to variations in the density of matter in the early universe. These variations are thought to be the seeds of the large-scale structure of the universe, including the formation of galaxies and clusters of galaxies.

The study of the CMB has been one of the most important tools for cosmologists in understanding the early universe. Detailed measurements of the CMB radiation have provided evidence for the Big Bang theory, which suggests that the universe began as a hot, dense, and rapidly expanding state. The CMB also provides constraints on the composition and structure of the universe, including the amount of dark matter and dark energy.

One of the key features of the CMB radiation is its polarization. Polarization is a property of light that describes the direction in which its electric field oscillates. The CMB radiation is polarized because it was scattered by charged particles in the early universe, such as electrons and protons. The polarization of the CMB radiation provides additional information about the early universe, including the strength of the magnetic fields that existed at that time.

The study of the CMB radiation has been a major focus of cosmological research for several decades. One of the most important experiments in this field is the Planck Mission, a space observatory designed and operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) to study the CMB radiation. The mission was named after the German physicist Max Planck, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918 for his work on quantum mechanics.

The Planck Mission was launched on May 14, 2009, and operated until October 23, 2013. It was equipped with two instruments: the High Frequency Instrument (HFI) and the Low Frequency Instrument (LFI). The HFI measured the CMB radiation at high frequencies, while the LFI measured it at low frequencies. The main goal of the Planck Mission was to create a map of the CMB radiation with unprecedented accuracy and detail.

The Planck Mission made many important discoveries that have advanced our understanding of the universe. For example, it created the most precise map of the CMB radiation to date, measuring the temperature of the CMB to an accuracy of better than one millionth of a degree Celsius, and the polarization of the CMB to an accuracy of better than one percent. The mission also provided further evidence for the Big Bang theory by confirming the predictions made by the theory about the composition and structure of the universe. Additionally, it provided constraints on the theory of cosmic inflation, which suggests that the universe underwent a rapid expansion in the first few moments after the Big Bang.

The Cosmic Microwave Background

Background

The Planck Mission

Discoveries from the Planck Mission

Precise measurements of the CMB

The Planck Mission created the most precise map of the CMB radiation to date. It measured the temperature of the CMB to an accuracy of better than one millionth of a degree Celsius, and the polarization of the CMB to an accuracy of better than one percent. This level of precision allowed cosmologists to study the CMB radiation in unprecedented detail, providing new insights into the structure and evolution of the universe.

Confirmation of the Big Bang theory

One of the most important discoveries from the Planck Mission was the confirmation of the predictions made by the Big Bang theory about the composition and structure of the universe. For example, the mission found that the universe is composed of about 5% ordinary matter, 27% dark matter, and 68% dark energy. This is consistent with the predictions made by the Big Bang theory, and provides further evidence for the theory.

Constraints on inflation

The Planck Mission also provided constraints on the theory of cosmic inflation, which suggests that the universe underwent a rapid expansion in the first few moments after the Big Bang. The mission found that the inflationary period most likely lasted less than 10^-32 seconds. This is consistent with some models of inflation, but rules out others, providing new insights into the early moments of the universe.

New insights into galaxy formation

The Planck Mission also provided new insights into the formation of galaxies. By studying the CMB radiation, scientists were able to learn more about the distribution and properties of dark matter, which plays a key role in galaxy formation. This allowed cosmologists to develop more accurate models of galaxy formation, providing new insights into one of the most fundamental questions in cosmology.