Speaker: Patrick Breysse, Southern Methodist University
Abstract: The process of star formation is key to our understanding of galaxies, as well as the use of galaxies to probe fundamental physics. Measuring star formation at high-redshift, however, is often difficult and expensive. In this talk, I will discuss the results of the second observing season of the CO Mapping Array Project (COMAP), which uses the new observational technique of line intensity mapping to explore cosmic star formation from a new angle. COMAP has reported the deepest ever intensity mapping observation of the dense-gas tracing CO(1-0) emission line near cosmic noon. I will provide an overview of the COMAP results, and discuss how results from it and other early intensity mapping measurements may hint at excess star formation beyond which is predicted by current galaxy models. I will close by discussing exciting future extensions to COMAP happening in the next few years.