What are you studying in Antarctica?

We go to South Pole, in Antartica, to study the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. The CMB is the remnant radiation from the early hot and dense universe 13; billion years ago.; This radiation used to be very hot. Through the expansion of the universe, it cooled down to; 2.73 K today.; The peak of this radiation happens at a wavelength of approximatey 3 mm --the radio wave spectrum. So many of our observation techniques; are borrowed from radio astronomy. Now you might wonder "Why South Pole ?". Because it is the coldest driest place on Earth-- a cold desert-- and thus provides the cleanest atmospheric condition for our telescope.

How does your telescope work?

The experiment I work on is called BICEP. Most of the scientific information regarding the; intrument can be found on the public BICEP website.

What is it like down there?

Antarctica is a continent of extremes: It is the; highest, coldest, driest,; windiest, and most empty; place on Earth. The Ice sheet covers 98% of the continent and its 4.7 km deep at its thickest point. The average temperature is -50 C. However it is not really that cold during the summer, only -20 to -30 C on average. The other fact to keep in mind is that because teh air is so dry,; the human body has a lesser tendency to feel the cold: -30 C in Princeton would feel a whole lot colder than -30 C in South Pole. For more informations, see the USAP website

How can I contact you?

The easiest way to contact me right now is through email.

Ask me your questions

If you have more; questions about South Pole, Antarctica,; the CMB,; our experiment, or the age of the sea captain, please email me and I will add your question to this list of FAQ. Submit; your questions.

What is the time down there?

In South Pole, we operate on New Zealand time, which is 21 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Or you can just think of NZ time zone as 1 day minus three hours ahead of PST. NZ time is also; 1 day minus; 6 hours ahead; of EST, and 12 hours ahead of France time.