12:00–1:00 pm ERC 401
Host: Hayden Lee
Will Coulton (Center for Computational Astrophysics) "Primordial non-Gaussianity Beyond Planck"
Primordial non-Gaussianity is one of the most promising avenues for learning new information about the early Universe. Whilst the Planck satellite provided powerful constraints on the physics of the early Universe, we are to either detect primordial non-Gaussianity or reach a range of theoretically motivated targets. Reaching these targets would allow us to rule out large classes of early universe models, whilst a detection would transform our understanding of the early universe. In this talk I will first discuss how upcoming CMB experiments, such as the Simons Observatory and CMB-S4, will improve upon and expand beyond existing measurements. I will then discuss some of the prospects for future galaxy surveys to surpass CMB constraints. Additionally I will discuss a new method for improving Fisher forecasts when you only have access to simulations. This new method can dramatically reduce the number of simulations required to have robust results, as well as providing a new test of the stability of numerical Fisher estimates.
About speaker
William earned his PhD in Physics from Princeton University. He also earned two Master’s degrees, one from Princeton in Arts of Physics and another in Physics from Oxford University. Prior to joining CCA, William was a Postdoctoral Research Associate from the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge. William is the recipient of the Joseph Henry Prize at Princeton University, The Nuffield Undergraduate Research Bursary at University of Oxford, and the Jesus College Academic Scholarship at the University of Oxford, among others.
