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Observing Quanta on a Cosmic Scale
Author(s) -
Hogan Craig J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
fortschritte der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.469
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1521-3978
pISSN - 0015-8208
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3978(200205)50:5/7<694::aid-prop694>3.0.co;2-w
Subject(s) - inflaton , cosmic microwave background , physics , quantization (signal processing) , subatomic particle , spacetime , quantum field theory in curved spacetime , quantum , anisotropy , galaxy , perturbation (astronomy) , cosmic cancer database , theoretical physics , inflation (cosmology) , classical mechanics , astronomy , quantum mechanics , quantum gravity , elementary particle , computer science , computer vision
Our entire galaxy, like all others, originated as a fairly smooth patch of binding energy, which in turn originated as a single quantum perturbation of the inflaton field on a subatomic scale during inflation. The best preserved relic of these perturbations is the anisotropy of the microwave background radiation, which on the largest scales preserves a faithful image of the primordial quantum fields. It is possible that close study of these perturbations might reveal signs of discreteness caused by spacetime quantization.