AST101H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 17: Grand Unified Theory, Cosmic Microwave Background, Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
Document Summary
Some major times in the life of the universe: Era of atoms age 380,000 years to now. Age of 1 billion years to now. Temperature cool enough for gas to collect into clouds. These ideas are theory and must be tested. At the age of 380,000 years the whole universe was dense 3000k gas. The universe has expanded for more than 13 billion years radiation has been redshifted. Radiation expected to be most intense near a wavelength about 1mm. Cosmic microwave background (cmb) predicted in 1940"s to have an apparent temperature = Discovered by accident in 1965 apparent temperature = 3k nobel prize for physics. Confirmed in 1990 by cobe satellite apparent temperature = 2. 73k nobel prize for physics. Being studied since 2001 by the wmap satellite to detect tiny brightness variations more dense regions that may have formed into galaxies. Fusion era began at an age = 0. 001s (p^+) + (n^0) = helium in the whole universe.
