CHIME telescope detects ancient hydrogen glow to study dark energy

The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) radio telescope has achieved its first standalone detection of the faint glow of hydrogen from a period when the universe was approximately five billion years old. Previously, researchers relied on data from other galaxy surveys to identify this signal, but the team has now successfully isolated it using only CHIME’s own observations.

This breakthrough provides a new method for studying dark energy, the mysterious force driving the accelerated expansion of the universe. By mapping how hydrogen is distributed across space, astronomers can use the element as a cosmic tracer to track the history of cosmic expansion and test competing astrophysical theories.

Located near Penticton, British Columbia, the telescope is a pan-Canadian project hosted by the National Research Council of Canada and involves researchers from institutions including the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and the University of Toronto. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.