Dr. Cruz

Department of Physics and Astrophysics

Oliver L. Benediktson Endowed Chair in Astrophysics

UND

In this talk, I will present the first results from the Sonda Cosmológica de las Islas para la Detección de Hidrógeno Neutro (SCI-HI). This is an all-sky, single-antenna experiment aiming at the detection of the cosmic excitation history of the Hydrogen 21-cm line. We've searched for the best radio-quiet places in the world. We have also developed our own antenna design and electronics for SCI-HI. We present the first results from observations taken at Isla Guadalupe, a Mexican island about 300 km off the coast of Baja California, which has been declared one of the best radio-quiet places in North America. During our first run of observations, SCI-HI imposed the first upper limit for the detection of galaxy formation at the end of the Dark Ages (z~20), just 180 million years after the Big Bang. I will also present improvements to the antenna design and electronics as we prepared for the second run of observations.