Tracing the cosmological evolution of stars and cold gas with CMB spectral surveys

Understand

A full account of galaxy evolution in the context of LCDM cosmology requires measurements of the average star-formation rate (SFR) and cold gas abundance across cosmic time.

• Emission from the CO ladder traces cold gas, and [CII] fine structure emission at 158 um traces the SFR.
• Intensity mapping surveys the cumulative surface brightness of emitting lines as a function of redshift, rather than individual galaxies.
• CMB spectral distortion instruments are sensitive to both the mean and anisotropy of the intensity of redshifted CO and [CII] emission.