Liam Connor

"Liam is an Assistant Professor at Harvard, working in the field of fast radio bursts (FRB), which he studies by developing large radio facilities and innovative techniques based on artificial intelligence. Liam is a pioneer in using FRBs as astrophysical and cosmological probes such as through gravitational lensing."
- Daniele Michilli

Early results and grand plans for FRB cosmology
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) have held promise as a cosmological probe ever since their serendipitous discovery in 2007. FRBs are brief, bright, and ubiquitous, with volumetric rates that exceed even core-collapse supernovae. Each pulse carries with it information about the ionized plasma through which it travelled, allowing us to measure directly the lion’s share of baryons in the Universe. These baryons are ionized and diffuse, making them difficult to detect by other means. I will present early results on the distribution of cosmological baryons based on a growing sample of FRBs localized to their host galaxies. I will then describe the DSA-2000, an upcoming array of 2048x5m antennas in Nevada that will lead to unprecedented advances in long-wavelength survey science, including fast radio bursts.