Publications (5)0 Total impact
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A. A. Fraisse,
P. A. R. Ade,
M. Amiri,
S. J. Benton,
J. J. Bock,
J. R. Bond,
J. A. Bonetti,
S. Bryan,
B. Burger,
H. C. Chiang, [......],
J. E. Ruhl,
M. C. Runyan,
M. A. Schenker,
J. A. Shariff, J. D. Soler,
A. Trangsrud,
C. Tucker,
R. S. Tucker,
A. D. Turner,
D. Wiebe
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: We evaluate the ability of SPIDER, a balloon-borne polarimeter, to detect a
divergence-free polarization pattern ("B-modes") in the Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB). In the inflationary scenario, the amplitude of this signal is
proportional to that of the primordial scalar perturbations through the
tensor-to-scalar ratio r. We show that the expected level of systematic error
in the SPIDER instrument is significantly below the amplitude of an interesting
cosmological signal with r=0.03. We present a scanning strategy that enables us
to minimize uncertainty in the reconstruction of the Stokes parameters used to
characterize the CMB, while accessing a relatively wide range of angular
scales. Evaluating the amplitude of the polarized Galactic emission in the
SPIDER field, we conclude that the polarized emission from interstellar dust is
as bright or brighter than the cosmological signal at all SPIDER frequencies
(90 GHz, 150 GHz, and 280 GHz), a situation similar to that found in the
"Southern Hole." We show that two ~20-day flights of the SPIDER instrument can
constrain the amplitude of the B-mode signal to r<0.03 (99% CL) even when
foreground contamination is taken into account. In the absence of foregrounds,
the same limit can be reached after one 20-day flight.
06/2011;
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J. E. Gudmundsson,
P. A. R. Ade,
M. Amiri,
S. J. Benton,
R. Bihary,
J. J. Bock,
J. R. Bond,
J. A. Bonetti,
S. A. Bryan,
H C Chiang, [......],
C.D. Reintsema,
J. E. Ruhl,
M. C. Runyan,
M. A. Schenker,
J. A. Shariff, J. D. Soler,
A. Trangsrud,
C. Tucker,
R. S. Tucker,
A. D. Turner
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: We describe the cryogenic system for SPIDER, a balloon-borne microwave
polarimeter that will map 8% of the sky with degree-scale angular resolution.
The system consists of a 1284 L liquid helium cryostat and a 16 L
capillary-filled superfluid helium tank, which provide base operating
temperatures of 4 K and 1.5 K, respectively. Closed-cycle helium-3 adsorption
refrigerators supply sub-Kelvin cooling power to multiple focal planes, which
are housed in monochromatic telescope inserts. The main helium tank is
suspended inside the vacuum vessel with thermally insulating fiberglass
flexures, and shielded from thermal radiation by a combination of two vapor
cooled shields and multi-layer insulation. This system allows for an extremely
low instrumental background and a hold time in excess of 25 days. The total
mass of the cryogenic system, including cryogens, is approximately 1000 kg.
This enables conventional long duration balloon flights. We will discuss the
design, thermal analysis, and qualification of the cryogenic system.
06/2011;
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M. C. Runyan,
P. A. R. Ade,
M. Amiri,
S. Benton,
R. Bihary,
J. J. Bock,
J. R. Bond,
J. A. Bonetti,
S. A. Bryan,
H C Chiang, [......],
A. S. Rahlin,
C.D. Reintsema,
J. E. Ruhl,
M. A. Schenker,
J. Shariff, J. D. Soler,
A. Trangsrud,
R. S. Tucker,
C. Tucker,
A Turner
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Here we describe the design and performance of the Spider instrument. Spider
is a balloon-borne cosmic microwave background polarization imager that will
map part of the sky at 90, 145, and 280 GHz with sub-degree resolution and high
sensitivity. This paper discusses the general design principles of the
instrument inserts, mechanical structures, optics, focal plane architecture,
thermal architecture, and magnetic shielding of the TES sensors and SQUID
multiplexer. We also describe the optical, noise, and magnetic shielding
performance of the 145 GHz prototype instrument insert.
06/2011;
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J. P. Filippini,
P. A. R. Ade,
M. Amiri,
S. J. Benton,
R. Bihary,
J. J. Bock,
J. R. Bond,
J. A. Bonetti,
S. A. Bryan,
B. Burger, [......],
C.D. Reintsema,
J. E. Ruhl,
M. C. Runyan,
M. A. Schenker,
J. A. Shariff, J. D. Soler,
A. Trangsrud,
C. Tucker,
R. S. Tucker,
A. D. Turner
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: We describe SPIDER, a balloon-borne instrument to map the polarization of the
millimeter-wave sky with degree angular resolution. Spider consists of six
monochromatic refracting telescopes, each illuminating a focal plane of
large-format antenna-coupled bolometer arrays. A total of 2,624 superconducting
transition-edge sensors are distributed among three observing bands centered at
90, 150, and 280 GHz. A cold half-wave plate at the aperture of each telescope
modulates the polarization of incoming light to control systematics. Spider's
first flight will be a 20-30-day Antarctic balloon campaign in December 2011.
This flight will map \sim8% of the sky to achieve unprecedented sensitivity to
the polarization signature of the gravitational wave background predicted by
inflationary cosmology. The Spider mission will also serve as a proving ground
for these detector technologies in preparation for a future satellite mission.
06/2011;
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D. T. O'Dea,
P. A. R. Ade,
M. Amiri,
S. J. Benton,
J. J. Bock,
J. R. Bond,
J. A. Bonetti,
S. Bryan,
B. Burger,
H C Chiang, [......],
J. E. Ruhl,
M. C. Runyan,
M. A. Schenker,
J. A. Shariff, J. D. Soler,
A. Trangsrud,
C. Tucker,
R. S. Tucker,
A. D. Turner,
D. Wiebe
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Spider is a balloon-borne instrument designed to map the polarization of the
cosmic microwave background (CMB) with degree-scale resolution over a large
fraction of the sky. Spider's main goal is to measure the amplitude of
primordial gravitational waves through their imprint on the polarization of the
CMB if the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, is greater than 0.03. To achieve this
goal, instrumental systematic errors must be controlled with unprecedented
accuracy. Here, we build on previous work to use simulations of Spider
observations to examine the impact of several systematic effects that have been
characterized through testing and modeling of various instrument components. In
particular, we investigate the impact of the non-ideal spectral response of the
half-wave plates, coupling between focal plane components and the Earth's
magnetic field, and beam mismatches and asymmetries. We also present a model of
diffuse polarized foreground emission based on a three-dimensional model of the
Galactic magnetic field and dust, and study the interaction of this foreground
emission with our observation strategy and instrumental effects. We find that
the expected level of foreground and systematic contamination is sufficiently
low for Spider to achieve its science goals.
02/2011;
