Mapping the universal history of star formation and AGN activity

Len Cowie
IfA

The energy release from star formation and supermassive black hole
accretion creates the extragalactic background light (EBL).  The EBL has
been detected at wavelengths from the submillimeter to the high energy
X-rays.  Recent technological advances enable us to resolve the EBL and
identify the active sources that comprise it.  With accurate positions we
can determine the redshifts and spectral characteristics of the sources
that make up the EBL and map the history of star formation in galaxies and
the growth of supermassive black holes.