Science

Overview of SO Science

The Simons Observatory (SO) is mapping the sky at millimeter wavelengths to unprecedented sensitivity.  These maps contain the cosmic microwave background (CMB), leftover radiation from the Big Bang, but also a variety of other signals.  The maps will help SO scientists explore a wide range of questions, including those related to the beginning of the universe and the conditions during the Big Bang.  

SO will explore the particle nature of dark matter and allow us to search for new particles that have not been detected in accelerators.  It will help us understand the unknown masses of neutrinos, and why the expansion of the universe is accelerating today.  

With arcminute-resolution maps of the matter and gas distribution, SO will allow us to better understand how galaxies and clusters form and evolve over cosmic time.  It will also explore how cosmic dust is distributed throughout our Milky Way galaxy, and provide insights into the mechanisms behind high-energy rapid explosions of astrophysical objects.