Showing papers by "Mark Halpern published in 2011"
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TL;DR: In this article, a combination of seven-year data from WMAP and improved astrophysical data rigorously tests the standard cosmological model and places new constraints on its basic parameters and extensions.
Abstract: The combination of seven-year data from WMAP and improved astrophysical data rigorously tests the standard cosmological model and places new constraints on its basic parameters and extensions. By combining the WMAP data with the latest distance measurements from the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the distribution of galaxies and the Hubble constant (H0) measurement, we determine the parameters of the simplest six-parameter ΛCDM model. The power-law index of the primordial power spectrum is ns = 0.968 ± 0.012 (68% CL) for this data combination, a measurement that excludes the Harrison–Zel’dovich–Peebles spectrum by 99.5% CL. The other parameters, including those beyond the minimal set, are also consistent with, and improved from, the five-year results. We find no convincing deviations from the minimal model. The seven-year temperature power spectrum gives a better determination of the third acoustic peak, which results in a better determination of the redshift of the matter-radiation equality epoch. Notable examples of improved parameters are the total mass of neutrinos, � mν < 0.58 eV (95% CL), and the effective number of neutrino species, Neff = 4.34 +0.86 −0.88 (68% CL), which benefit from better determinations of the third peak and H0. The limit on a constant dark energy equation of state parameter from WMAP+BAO+H0, without high-redshift Type Ia supernovae, is w =− 1.10 ± 0.14 (68% CL). We detect the effect of primordial helium on the temperature power spectrum and provide a new test of big bang nucleosynthesis by measuring Yp = 0.326 ± 0.075 (68% CL). We detect, and show on the map for the first time, the tangential and radial polarization patterns around hot and cold spots of temperature fluctuations, an important test of physical processes at z = 1090 and the dominance of adiabatic scalar fluctuations. The seven-year polarization data have significantly improved: we now detect the temperature–E-mode polarization cross power spectrum at 21σ , compared with 13σ from the five-year data. With the seven-year temperature–B-mode cross power spectrum, the limit on a rotation of the polarization plane due to potential parity-violating effects has improved by 38% to Δα =− 1. 1 ± 1. 4(statistical) ± 1. 5(systematic) (68% CL). We report significant detections of the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect at the locations of known clusters of galaxies. The measured SZ signal agrees well with the expected signal from the X-ray data on a cluster-by-cluster basis. However, it is a factor of 0.5–0.7 times the predictions from “universal profile” of Arnaud et al., analytical models, and hydrodynamical simulations. We find, for the first time in the SZ effect, a significant difference between the cooling-flow and non-cooling-flow clusters (or relaxed and non-relaxed clusters), which can explain some of the discrepancy. This lower amplitude is consistent with the lower-than-theoretically expected SZ power spectrum recently measured by the South Pole Telescope Collaboration.
11,309 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the angular power spectra derived from the seven-year maps and discuss the cosmological conclusions that can be inferred from WMAP data alone are presented. But the results are limited to the case of L 2.
Abstract: The WMAP mission has produced sky maps from seven years of observations at L2. We present the angular power spectra derived from the seven-year maps and discuss the cosmological conclusions that can be inferred from WMAP data alone. With the seven-year data, the temperature (TT) spectrum measurement has a signal-to-noise ratio per multipole that exceeds unity for l 2.7(95%CL). Also, using WMAP data alone, the primordial helium mass fraction is found to be Y He = 0.28+0.14 ?0.15, and with data from higher-resolution cosmic microwave background experiments included, we now establish the existence of pre-stellar helium at >3?. These new WMAP measurements provide important tests of big bang cosmology.
1,462 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented new full-sky temperature and polarization maps based on seven years of data from WMAP, which are consistent with previous results, but have improved due to reduced noise from the additional integration time, improved knowledge of the instrument performance, and improved data analysis procedures.
Abstract: New full-sky temperature and polarization maps based on seven years of data from WMAP are presented. The new results are consistent with previous results, but have improved due to reduced noise from the additional integration time, improved knowledge of the instrument performance, and improved data analysis procedures. The improvements are described in detail. The seven-year data set is well fit by a minimal six-parameter flat ?CDM model. The parameters for this model, using the WMAP data in conjunction with baryon acoustic oscillation data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and priors on H 0 from Hubble Space Telescope observations, are ? b h 2 = 0.02260 ? 0.00053, ? c h 2 = 0.1123 ? 0.0035, ?? = 0.728+0.015 ?0.016, ns = 0.963 ? 0.012, ? = 0.087 ? 0.014, and ?8 = 0.809 ? 0.024 (68% CL uncertainties). The temperature power spectrum signal-to-noise ratio per multipole is greater that unity for multipoles ? 919, allowing a robust measurement of the third acoustic peak. This measurement results in improved constraints on the matter density, ? m h 2 = 0.1334+0.0056 ?0.0055, and the epoch of matter-radiation equality, z eq = 3196+134 ?133, using WMAP data alone. The new WMAP data, when combined with smaller angular scale microwave background anisotropy data, result in a 3? detection of the abundance of primordial helium, Y He = 0.326 ? 0.075. When combined with additional external data sets, the WMAP data also yield better determinations of the total mass of neutrinos, ?m ? ? 0.58 eV(95%CL), and the effective number of neutrino species, N eff = 4.34+0.86 ?0.88. The power-law index of the primordial power spectrum is now determined to be ns = 0.963 ? 0.012, excluding the Harrison-Zel'dovich-Peebles spectrum by >3?. These new WMAP measurements provide important tests of big bang cosmology.
1,396 citations
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TL;DR: The Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) as mentioned in this paper is an Explorer-class mission to measure the gravity-wave signature of primordial inflation through its distinctive imprint on the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background.
Abstract: The Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) is a concept for an Explorer-class mission to measure the gravity-wave signature of primordial inflation through its distinctive imprint on the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background. The instrument consists of a polarizing Michelson interferometer configured as a nulling polarimeter to measure the difference spectrum between orthogonal linear polarizations from two co-aligned beams. Either input can view the sky or a temperature-controlled absolute reference blackbody calibrator. Rhe proposed instrument can map the absolute intensity and linear polarization (Stokes I, Q, and U parameters) over the full sky in 400 spectral channels spanning 2.5 decades in frequency from 30 GHz to 6 THz (1 cm to 50 micron wavelength). Multi-moded optics provide background-limited sensitivity using only 4 detectors, while the highly symmetric design and multiple signal modulations provide robust rejection of potential systematic errors. The principal science goal is the detection and characterization of linear polarization from an inflationary epoch in the early universe, with tensor-to-scalar ratio r < 10..3 at 5 standard deviations. The rich PIXIE data set can also constrain physical processes ranging from Big Bang cosmology to the nature of the first stars to physical conditions within the interstellar medium of the Galaxy.
688 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the properties of the power spectrum data with respect to the six-parameter CDM model and found no significant anomalies, and concluded that there is no compelling evidence for deviations from the?CDM model, which is generally an acceptable statistical fit to WMAP and other cosmological data.
Abstract: A simple six-parameter ?CDM model provides a successful fit to WMAP data. This holds both when the WMAP data are analyzed alone or in combination with other cosmological data. Even so, it is appropriate to examine the data carefully to search for hints of deviations from the now standard model of cosmology, which includes inflation, dark energy, dark matter, baryons, and neutrinos. The cosmological community has subjected the WMAP data to extensive and varied analyses. While there is widespread agreement as to the overall success of the six-parameter ?CDM model, various anomalies have been reported relative to that model. In this paper we examine potential anomalies and present analyses and assessments of their significance. In most cases we find that claimed anomalies depend on posterior selection of some aspect or subset of the data. Compared with sky simulations based on the best-fit model, one can select for low probability features of the WMAP data. Low probability features are expected, but it is not usually straightforward to determine whether any particular low probability feature is the result of the a posteriori selection or non-standard cosmology. Hypothesis testing could, of course, always reveal an alternative model that is statistically favored, but there is currently no model that is more compelling. We find that two cold spots in the map are statistically consistent with random cosmic microwave background (CMB) fluctuations. We also find that the amplitude of the quadrupole is well within the expected 95% confidence range and therefore is not anomalously low. We find no significant anomaly with a lack of large angular scale CMB power for the best-fit ?CDM model. We examine in detail the properties of the power spectrum data with respect to the ?CDM model and find no significant anomalies. The quadrupole and octupole components of the CMB sky are remarkably aligned, but we find that this is not due to any single map feature; it results from the statistical combination of the full-sky anisotropy fluctuations. It may be due, in part, to chance alignments between the primary and secondary anisotropy, but this only shifts the coincidence from within the last scattering surface to between it and the local matter density distribution. While this alignment appears to be remarkable, there was no model that predicted it, nor has there been a model that provides a compelling retrodiction. We examine claims of a hemispherical or dipole power asymmetry across the sky and find that the evidence for these claims is not statistically significant. We confirm the claim of a strong quadrupolar power asymmetry effect, but there is considerable evidence that the effect is not cosmological. The likely explanation is an insufficient handling of beam asymmetries. We conclude that there is no compelling evidence for deviations from the ?CDM model, which is generally an acceptable statistical fit to WMAP and other cosmological data.
669 citations
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Johns Hopkins University1, Goddard Space Flight Center2, California Institute of Technology3, University of Oxford4, University of British Columbia5, Princeton University6, University of Texas at Austin7, Columbia University8, University of Chicago9, University of Toronto10, Brown University11, University of California, Los Angeles12
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used the power spectrum of differences between multi-frequency template-cleaned maps, and found no evidence for foreground contamination outside of the updated (KQ85y7) foreground mask.
Abstract: We present updated estimates of Galactic foreground emission using seven years of WMAP data. Using the power spectrum of differences between multi-frequency template-cleaned maps, we find no evidence for foreground contamination outside of the updated (KQ85y7) foreground mask. We place a 15 μK upper bound on rms foreground contamination in the cleaned maps used for cosmological analysis. Further, the cleaning process requires only three power-law foregrounds outside of the mask. We find no evidence for polarized foregrounds beyond those from soft (steep-spectrum) synchrotron and thermal dust emission; in particular we find no indication in the polarization data of an extra haze of hard synchrotron emission from energetic electrons near the Galactic center. We provide an updated map of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) using the internal linear combination method, updated foreground masks, and updates to point source catalogs using two different techniques. With additional years of data, we now detect 471 point sources using a five-band technique and 417 sources using a three-band CMB-free technique. In total there are 62 newly detected point sources, a 12% increase over the five-year release. Also new are tests of the Markov chain Monte Carlo foreground fitting procedure against systematics in the time-stream data, and tests against the observed beam asymmetry. Within a few degrees of the Galactic plane, the behavior in total intensity of low-frequency foregrounds is complicated and not completely understood. WMAP data show a rapidly steepening spectrum from 20 to 40 GHz, which may be due to emission from spinning dust grains, steepening synchrotron, or other effects. Comparisons are made to a 1 deg 408 MHz map (Haslam et al.) and the 11 deg ARCADE 2 data (Singal et al.). We find that spinning dust or steepening synchrotron models fit the combination of WMAP and 408 MHz data equally well. ARCADE data appear inconsistent with the steepening synchrotron model and consistent with the spinning dust model, though some discrepancies remain regarding the relative strength of spinning dust emission. More high-resolution data in the 10-40 GHz range would shed much light on these issues.
508 citations
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Princeton University1, University of Oxford2, University of Toronto3, Rutgers University4, Cardiff University5, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile6, University of British Columbia7, Sapienza University of Rome8, University of Pittsburgh9, Goddard Space Flight Center10, University of California, Berkeley11, University of Pennsylvania12, National Institute of Standards and Technology13, Max Planck Society14, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research15, University of KwaZulu-Natal16, University of Miami17, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics18, Stanford University19, Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe20, Johns Hopkins University21, Haverford College22, University of Barcelona23, West Chester University of Pennsylvania24, Carnegie Mellon University25, Harvard University26
TL;DR: In this paper, the angular power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation observed at 148 GHz and 218 GHz over 296 deg(exp 2) with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) during its 2008 season was analyzed.
Abstract: We present cosmological parameters derived from the angular power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation observed at 148 GHz and 218 GHz over 296 deg(exp 2) with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) during its 2008 season. ACT measures fluctuations at scales 500 < l < 10,000. We fit a model for the lensed CMB, Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ), and foreground contribution to the 148 GHz and 218 GHz power spectra, including thermal and kinetic SZ, Poisson power from radio and infrared point sources, and clustered power from infrared point sources. At l = 3000, about half the power at 148 GHz comes from primary CMB after masking bright radio sources. The power from thermal and kinetic SZ is estimated to be Beta(sub 3000) is identical to 6.8 +/- 2.9 mu K (exp 2), where Beta (sub l) is identical to l(l + 1) C(sub l)/2pi. The IR Poisson power at 148 GHz is Bewta(sub 3000) 7.8 +/- 0.7 muK(exp 2) (C(sub l) = 5.5 +/- 0.5 nK(exp 2)), and a clustered IR component is required with Beta (sub 3000) = 4.6 +/- 0.9 muK(exp 2), assuming an analytic model for its power spectrum shape. At 218 GHz only about 15% of the power, approximately 27 mu K(exp 2), is CMB anisotropy at l = 3000. The remaining 85% is attributed to IR sources (approximately 50% Poisson and 35% clustered), with spectral index alpha = 3.69 +/- 0.14 for flux scaling as S(nu) varies as nu(sup alpha). We estimate primary cosmological parameters from the less contaminated 148 GHz spectrum, marginalizing over SZ and source power. The ACDM cosmological model is a good fit to the data (chi square/dof = 29/46), and ACDM parameters estimated from ACT+Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) are consistent with the seven-year WMAP limits, with scale invariant n(sub s) = 1 excluded at 99.7% confidence level (CL) (3 sigma). A model with no CMB lensing is disfavored at 2.8 sigma. By measuring the third to seventh acoustic peaks, and probing the Silk damping regime, the ACT data improve limits on cosmological parameters that affect the small-scale CMB power. The ACT data combined with WMAP give a 6 sigma detection of primordial helium, with Y(sub p) = 0.313 +/- 0.044, and a 4 sigma detection of relativistic species, assumed to be neutrinos, with N(sub eff) = 5.3 +/- 1.3 (4.6 +/- 0.8 with BAO+H(sub 0) data). From the CMB alone the running of the spectral index is constrained to be d(sub s) / d ln k = -0,034 +/- 0,018, the limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio is r < 0,25 (95% CL), and the possible contribution of Nambu cosmic strings to the power spectrum is constrained to string tension G(sub mu) < 1.6 x 10(exp -7) (95% CL),
425 citations
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Princeton University1, Johns Hopkins University2, Rutgers University3, Cardiff University4, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile5, University of British Columbia6, Sapienza University of Rome7, University of Toronto8, University of Pittsburgh9, Goddard Space Flight Center10, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory11, University of Pennsylvania12, National Institute of Standards and Technology13, University of Oxford14, Max Planck Society15, University of KwaZulu-Natal16, University of Miami17, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics18, Stanford University19, Columbia University20, University of Tokyo21, Haverford College22, University of Barcelona23, West Chester University of Pennsylvania24, Harvard University25, Carnegie Mellon University26, University of Massachusetts Amherst27
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on 23 clusters detected blindly as Sunyaev-Zel'DOVICH (SZ) decrements in a 148 GHz, 455 deg2 map of the southern sky made with data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope 2008 observing season.
Abstract: We report on 23 clusters detected blindly as Sunyaev-ZEL'DOVICH (SZ) decrements in a 148 GHz, 455 deg2 map of the southern sky made with data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope 2008 observing season. All SZ detections announced in this work have confirmed optical counterparts. Ten of the clusters are new discoveries. One newly discovered cluster, ACT-CL J0102–4915, with a redshift of 0.75 (photometric), has an SZ decrement comparable to the most massive systems at lower redshifts. Simulations of the cluster recovery method reproduce the sample purity measured by optical follow-up. In particular, for clusters detected with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than six, simulations are consistent with optical follow-up that demonstrated this subsample is 100% pure. The simulations further imply that the total sample is 80% complete for clusters with mass in excess of 6 × 1014 solar masses referenced to the cluster volume characterized by 500 times the critical density. The Compton y-X-ray luminosity mass comparison for the 11 best-detected clusters visually agrees with both self-similar and non-adiabatic, simulation-derived scaling laws.
332 citations
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University of California, Berkeley1, Princeton University2, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile3, University of Toronto4, University of Lisbon5, Academy of Athens6, University of Pennsylvania7, University of Oxford8, National Institute of Standards and Technology9, University of British Columbia10, University of Miami11, Rutgers University12, University of Pittsburgh13, Johns Hopkins University14, University of KwaZulu-Natal15, Stanford University16, West Chester University of Pennsylvania17, Goddard Space Flight Center18
TL;DR: The first detection of the gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background is reported through a measurement of the four-point correlation function in the temperature maps made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope.
Abstract: We report the first detection of the gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background through a measurement of the four-point correlation function in the temperature maps made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. We verify our detection by calculating the levels of potential contaminants and performing a number of null tests. The resulting convergence power spectrum at 2° angular scales measures the amplitude of matter density fluctuations on comoving length scales of around 100 Mpc at redshifts around 0.5 to 3. The measured amplitude of the signal agrees with Lambda cold dark matter cosmology predictions. Since the amplitude of the convergence power spectrum scales as the square of the amplitude of the density fluctuations, the 4σ detection of the lensing signal measures the amplitude of density fluctuations to 12%.
280 citations
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National Institute of Standards and Technology1, University of Pennsylvania2, Cardiff University3, University of British Columbia4, Princeton University5, Sapienza University of Rome6, Goddard Space Flight Center7, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile8, Stanford University9, Columbia University10, University of Toronto11, West Chester University of Pennsylvania12
TL;DR: The Atacama Cosmology Telescope as discussed by the authors was designed to measure small-scale anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background and detect galaxy clusters through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect.
Abstract: The Atacama Cosmology Telescope was designed to measure small-scale anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background and detect galaxy clusters through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. The instrument is located on Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert, at an altitude of 5190 m. A 6 m off-axis Gregorian telescope feeds a new type of cryogenic receiver, the Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera. The receiver features three 1000-element arrays of transition-edge sensor bolometers for observations at 148 GHz, 218 GHz, and 277 GHz. Each detector array is fed by free space millimeter-wave optics. Each frequency band has a field of view of approximately 22' × 26'. The telescope was commissioned in 2007 and has completed its third year of operations. We discuss the major components of the telescope, camera, and related systems, and summarize the instrument performance.
238 citations
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University of California, Berkeley1, Princeton University2, Johns Hopkins University3, Cardiff University4, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile5, University of British Columbia6, Sapienza University of Rome7, University of Toronto8, University of Pittsburgh9, Goddard Space Flight Center10, University of Pennsylvania11, National Institute of Standards and Technology12, University of Oxford13, Max Planck Society14, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research15, University of KwaZulu-Natal16, University of Miami17, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics18, Rutgers University19, Stanford University20, Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe21, Haverford College22, University of Barcelona23, West Chester University of Pennsylvania24, Harvard University25, Carnegie Mellon University26
TL;DR: In this article, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope was used to detect the second through the seventh acoustic peaks in the CMB power spectrum, and the measurements of these higher-order peaks provided an additional test of the ΛCDM cosmological model.
Abstract: We present measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectrum made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope at 148 GHz and 218 GHz, as well as the cross-frequency spectrum between the two channels. Our results clearly show the second through the seventh acoustic peaks in the CMB power spectrum. The measurements of these higher-order peaks provide an additional test of the ΛCDM cosmological model. At l>3000, we detect power in excess of the primary anisotropy spectrum of the CMB. At lower multipoles 500 < l < 3000, we find evidence for gravitational lensing of the CMB in the power spectrum at the 2.8σ level. We also detect a low level of Galactic dust in our maps, which demonstrates that we can recover known faint, diffuse signals.
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Stanford University1, Harvard University2, Carnegie Mellon University3, Princeton University4, Rutgers University5, Cardiff University6, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile7, University of British Columbia8, Sapienza University of Rome9, University of Toronto10, University of Pittsburgh11, Goddard Space Flight Center12, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory13, University of Pennsylvania14, National Institute of Standards and Technology15, University of Oxford16, Max Planck Society17, University of KwaZulu-Natal18, University of Miami19, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics20, Columbia University21, University of Tokyo22, Johns Hopkins University23, Haverford College24, University of Barcelona25, West Chester University of Pennsylvania26
TL;DR: In this article, the scaling relation between cluster mass and SZ signal with a four-parameter fit is described, and a stacking analysis of the clusters in this sample compared to clusters simulated assuming the fiducial model also shows good agreement.
Abstract: We present constraints on cosmological parameters based on a sample of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich-selected (SZ-selected) galaxy clusters detected in a millimeter-wave survey by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. The cluster sample used in this analysis consists of nine optically confirmed high-mass clusters comprising the high-significance end of the total cluster sample identified in 455 deg2 of sky surveyed during 2008 at 148 GHz. We focus on the most massive systems to reduce the degeneracy between unknown cluster astrophysics and cosmology derived from SZ surveys. We describe the scaling relation between cluster mass and SZ signal with a four-parameter fit. Marginalizing over the values of the parameters in this fit with conservative priors gives σ8 = 0.851 ± 0.115 and w = –1.14 ± 0.35 for a spatially flat wCDM cosmological model with Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) seven-year priors on cosmological parameters. This gives a modest improvement in statistical uncertainty over WMAP seven-year constraints alone. Fixing the scaling relation between the cluster mass and SZ signal to a fiducial relation obtained from numerical simulations and calibrated by X-ray observations, we find σ8 = 0.821 ± 0.044 and w = –1.05 ± 0.20. These results are consistent with constraints from WMAP7 plus baryon acoustic oscillations plus Type Ia supernova which give σ8 = 0.802 ± 0.038 and w = –0.98 ± 0.053. A stacking analysis of the clusters in this sample compared to clusters simulated assuming the fiducial model also shows good agreement. These results suggest that, given the sample of clusters used here, both the astrophysics of massive clusters and the cosmological parameters derived from them are broadly consistent with current models.
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Princeton University1, University of Oxford2, University of California, Berkeley3, University of Toronto4, Technical University of Lisbon5, Academy of Athens6, University of Pennsylvania7, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile8, National Institute of Standards and Technology9, University of British Columbia10, Rutgers University11, University of Pittsburgh12, Johns Hopkins University13, University of KwaZulu-Natal14, Stanford University15, West Chester University of Pennsylvania16, Goddard Space Flight Center17
TL;DR: A CMB-only measurement of the dark energy density Ω(Λ) confirms other measurements from supernovae, galaxy clusters, and baryon acoustic oscillations, and demonstrates the power of CMB lensing as a new cosmological tool.
Abstract: For the first time, measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) alone favor cosmologies with w = -1 dark energy over models without dark energy at a 3.2-sigma level. We demonstrate this by combining the CMB lensing deflection power spectrum from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope with temperature and polarization power spectra from the "Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. The lensing data break the geometric degeneracy of different cosmological models with similar CMB temperature power spectra. Our CMB-only measurement of the dark energy density Omega(delta) confirms other measurements from supernovae, galaxy clusters and baryon acoustic oscillations, and demonstrates the power of CMB lensing as a new cosmological tool.
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University of California, Irvine1, California Institute of Technology2, European Space Agency3, University of Edinburgh4, Paris Diderot University5, Jet Propulsion Laboratory6, Aix-Marseille University7, Spanish National Research Council8, University of La Laguna9, Imperial College London10, University of British Columbia11, University of Colorado Boulder12, Goddard Space Flight Center13, Cardiff University14, University of Sussex15, University of Padua16, UK Astronomy Technology Centre17, University of Paris-Sud18, University of Manchester19, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris20, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory21, University of Lethbridge22, University of Hertfordshire23, University College London24
TL;DR: Excess clustering over the linear prediction at arcminute angular scales in the power spectrum of brightness fluctuations at 250, 350 and 500 μm is reported, and it is found that submillimetre galaxies are located in dark matter haloes with a minimum mass, Mmin, which corresponds to the most efficient mass scale for star formation in the Universe.
Abstract: The extragalactic background light at far-infrared wavelengths comes from optically faint, dusty, star-forming galaxies in the Universe with star formation rates of a few hundred solar masses per year. These faint, submillimetre galaxies are challenging to study individually because of the relatively poor spatial resolution of far-infrared telescopes. Instead, their average properties can be studied using statistics such as the angular power spectrum of the background intensity variations. A previous attempt at measuring this power spectrum resulted in the suggestion that the clustering amplitude is below the level computed with a simple ansatz based on a halo model. Here we report excess clustering over the linear prediction at arcminute angular scales in the power spectrum of brightness fluctuations at 250, 350 and 500 μm. From this excess, we find that submillimetre galaxies are located in dark matter haloes with a minimum mass, Mmin, such that log10[Mmin/M⊙] = at 350 μm, where M⊙ is the solar mass. This minimum dark matter halo mass corresponds to the most efficient mass scale for star formation in the Universe, and is lower than that predicted by semi-analytical models for galaxy formation
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University of British Columbia1, University of Cambridge2, Durham University3, University of Pennsylvania4, University of Edinburgh5, Max Planck Society6, University of Copenhagen7, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics8, UK Astronomy Technology Centre9, Cardiff University10, University of Toronto11, Leiden University12
TL;DR: In this article, a joint analysis of the overlapping Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimetre Telescope (BLAST) 250, 350, 500 μm and LABOCA 870 μm observations is presented.
Abstract: We present a joint analysis of the overlapping Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimetre Telescope (BLAST) 250, 350, 500 μm, and LABOCA 870 μm observations [from the LABOCA ECDFS Submm Survey (LESS) survey] of the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South Out to z∼ 3, the BLAST filters sample near the peak wavelength of thermal far-infrared (FIR) emission from galaxies (rest-frame wavelengths ∼60–200 μm), primarily produced by dust heated through absorption in star-forming clouds However, identifying counterparts to individual BLAST peaks is very challenging, given the large beams [full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) 36–60 arcsec] In contrast, the ground-based 870 μm observations have a significantly smaller 19 arcsec FWHM beam, and are sensitive to higher redshifts (z∼ 1–5, and potentially beyond) due to the more favourable negative K-correction We use the LESS data, as well as deep Spitzer and VLA imaging, to identify 118 individual sources that produce significant emission in the BLAST bands We characterize the temperatures and FIR luminosities for a subset of 69 sources which have well-measured submillimetre (submm) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and redshift measurements out to z∼ 3 For flux-limited sub-samples in each BLAST band, and a dust emissivity index β= 20, we find a median temperature T= 30 K (all bands) as well as median redshifts: z= 11 (interquartile range 02–19) for S250 > 40 mJy; z= 13 (interquartile range 06–21) for S350 > 30 mJy; and z= 16 (interquartile range 13–23) for S500 > 20 mJy Taking into account the selection effects for our survey (a bias towards detecting lower-temperature galaxies), we find no evidence for evolution in the local FIR–temperature correlation out to z∼ 25 Comparing with star-forming galaxy SED templates, about 8 per cent of our sample appears to exhibit significant excesses in the radio and/or mid-IR, consistent with those sources harbouring active galactic nuclei (AGN) Since our statistical approach differs from most previous studies of submm galaxies, we describe the following techniques in two appendices: our ‘matched filter’ for identifying sources in the presence of point-source confusion; and our approach for identifying counterparts using likelihood ratios This study is a direct precursor to future joint FIR/submm surveys, for which we outline a potential identification and SED measurement strategy
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Princeton University1, Johns Hopkins University2, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile3, Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe4, University of Pennsylvania5, University of Toronto6, Haverford College7, Cardiff University8, University of British Columbia9, Sapienza University of Rome10, University of Pittsburgh11, Goddard Space Flight Center12, University of California, Berkeley13, National Institute of Standards and Technology14, University of Oxford15, Max Planck Society16, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research17, University of KwaZulu-Natal18, University of Miami19, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics20, Rutgers University21, Stanford University22, University of Barcelona23, West Chester University of Pennsylvania24, Harvard University25, University of Massachusetts Amherst26
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on extragalactic sources detected in a 455 deg2 map of the southern sky made with data at a frequency of 148 GHz from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) 2008 observing season.
Abstract: We report on extragalactic sources detected in a 455 deg2 map of the southern sky made with data at a frequency of 148 GHz from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) 2008 observing season. We provide a catalog of 157 sources with flux densities spanning two orders of magnitude: from 15 mJy to 1500 mJy. Comparison to other catalogs shows that 98% of the ACT detections correspond to sources detected at lower radio frequencies. Three of the sources appear to be associated with the brightest cluster galaxies of low-redshift X-ray-selected galaxy clusters. Estimates of the radio to millimeter-wave spectral indices and differential counts of the sources further bolster the hypothesis that they are nearly all radio sources, and that their emission is not dominated by re-emission from warm dust. In a bright (>50 mJy) 148 GHz selected sample with complete cross-identifications from the Australia Telescope 20 GHz survey, we observe an average steepening of the spectra between 5, 20, and 148 GHz with median spectral indices of α5-20 = –0.07 ± 0.06, α20-148 = –0.39 ± 0.04, and α5-148 = –0.20 ± 0.03. When the measured spectral indices are taken into account, the 148 GHz differential source counts are consistent with previous measurements at 30 GHz in the context of a source count model dominated by radio sources. Extrapolating with an appropriately rescaled model for the radio source counts, the Poisson contribution to the spatial power spectrum from synchrotron-dominated sources with flux density less than 20 mJy is C Sync = (2.8 ± 0.3) × 10–6μK2.
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TL;DR: The Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) is an Explorer-class mission to measure the gravity-wave signature of primordial inflation through its distinctive imprint on the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background.
Abstract: The Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) is an Explorer-class mission to measure the gravity-wave signature of primordial inflation through its distinctive imprint on the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background. The instrument consists of a polarizing Michelson interferometer configured as a nulling polarimeter to measure the difference spectrum between orthogonal linear polarizations from two co-aligned beams. Either input can view the sky or a temperature-controlled absolute reference blackbody calibrator. PIXIE will map the absolute intensity and linear polarization (Stokes I, Q, and U parameters) over the full sky in 400 spectral channels spanning 2.5 decades in frequency from 30 GHz to 6 THz (1 cm to 50 um wavelength). Multi-moded optics provide background-limited sensitivity using only 4 detectors, while the highly symmetric design and multiple signal modulations provide robust rejection of potential systematic errors. The principal science goal is the detection and characterization of linear polarization from an inflationary epoch in the early universe, with tensor-to-scalar ratio r < 10^{-3} at 5 standard deviations. The rich PIXIE data set will also constrain physical processes ranging from Big Bang cosmology to the nature of the first stars to physical conditions within the interstellar medium of the Galaxy.
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TL;DR: In this article, a combined fit to angular power spectra of unresolved infrared point sources from the Planck satellite (at 217, 353, 545 and 857 GHz, over angular scales 100 < l < 2200), the Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST; 250, 350 and 500 um; 1000 < l = 9000), and from correlating BLAST and Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT; 148 and 218 GHz) maps is performed.
Abstract: We perform a combined fit to angular power spectra of unresolved infrared (IR) point sources from the Planck satellite (at 217, 353, 545 and 857 GHz, over angular scales 100 < l < 2200), the Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST; 250, 350 and 500 um; 1000 < l < 9000), and from correlating BLAST and Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT; 148 and 218 GHz) maps. We find that the clustered power over the range of angular scales and frequencies considered is well fit by a simple power law of the form C_l \propto l^-n with n = 1.25 +/- 0.06. While the IR sources are understood to lie at a range of redshifts, with a variety of dust properties, we find that the frequency dependence of the clustering power can be described by the square of a modified blackbody, nu^beta B(nu,T_eff), with a single emissivity index beta = 2.20 +/- 0.07 and effective temperature T_eff = 9.7 K. Our predictions for the clustering amplitude are consistent with existing ACT and South Pole Telescope results at around 150 and 220 GHz, as is our prediction for the effective dust spectral index, which we find to be alpha_150-220 = 3.68 +/- 0.07 between 150 and 220 GHz. Our constraints on the clustering shape and frequency dependence can be used to model the IR clustering as a contaminant in Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropy measurements. The combined Planck and BLAST data also rule out a linear bias clustering model.
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Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris1, California Institute of Technology2, University of California, Irvine3, University of Colorado Boulder4, University of Pennsylvania5, Ames Research Center6, Cardiff University7, University of Paris-Sud8, Harvard University9, Jet Propulsion Laboratory10, Cornell University11, Aix-Marseille University12, Paris Diderot University13, University of British Columbia14, University of Oxford15, Imperial College London16, University of Sussex17, University of Padua18, University of Cambridge19, UK Astronomy Technology Centre20, University of Edinburgh21, University of Hertfordshire22, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency23, University College London24, University of Lethbridge25, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory26, University of La Laguna27, Spanish National Research Council28, European Space Agency29, University of California, Davis30
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the results of a gravitational lensing analysis of the bright z s = 2.957 submillimeter galaxy (SMG) HERMES found in the Herschel/SPIRE science demonstration phase data from the HerMES project.
Abstract: We present the results of a gravitational lensing analysis of the bright z s = 2.957 submillimeter galaxy (SMG) HERMES found in the Herschel/SPIRE science demonstration phase data from the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) project. The high-resolution imaging available in optical and near-IR channels, along with CO emission obtained with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer, allows us to precisely estimate the intrinsic source extension and hence estimate the total lensing magnification to be μ = 10.9 ± 0.7. We measure the half-light radius R eff of the source in the rest-frame near-UV and V bands that characterize the unobscured light coming from stars and find R eff, * = [2.0 ± 0.1] kpc, in good agreement with recent studies on the SMG population. This lens model is also used to estimate the size of the gas distribution (R eff, gas = [1.1 ± 0.5] kpc) by mapping back in the source plane the CO (J = 5 → 4) transition line emission. The lens modeling yields a relatively large Einstein radius R Ein = 4farcs10 ± 0farcs02, corresponding to a deflector velocity dispersion of [483 ± 16] km s–1. This shows that HERMES is lensed by a galaxy group-size dark matter halo at redshift z l ~ 0.6. The projected dark matter contribution largely dominates the mass budget within the Einstein radius with f dm(< R Ein) ~ 80%. This fraction reduces to f dm(< R eff, G1 sime 4.5 kpc) ~ 47% within the effective radius of the main deflecting galaxy of stellar mass M *, G1 = [8.5 ± 1.6] × 1011 M ☉. At this smaller scale the dark matter fraction is consistent with results already found for massive lensing ellipticals at z ~ 0.2 from the Sloan Lens ACS Survey.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of a gravitational lensing analysis of the bright z s = 2.957 submillimeter galaxy (SMG) HERMES found in the Herschel/SPIRE science demonstration phase data from the HerMES project.
Abstract: We present the results of a gravitational lensing analysis of the bright z s = 2.957 submillimeter galaxy (SMG) HERMES found in the Herschel/SPIRE science demonstration phase data from the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) project. The high-resolution imaging available in optical and near-IR channels, along with CO emission obtained with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer, allows us to precisely estimate the intrinsic source extension and hence estimate the total lensing magnification to be μ = 10.9 ± 0.7. We measure the half-light radius R eff of the source in the rest-frame near-UV and V bands that characterize the unobscured light coming from stars and find R eff, * = [2.0 ± 0.1] kpc, in good agreement with recent studies on the SMG population. This lens model is also used to estimate the size of the gas distribution (R eff, gas = [1.1 ± 0.5] kpc) by mapping back in the source plane the CO (J = 5 → 4) transition line emission. The lens modeling yields a relatively large Einstein radius R Ein = 410 ± 002, corresponding to a deflector velocity dispersion of [483 ± 16] km s–1. This shows that HERMES is lensed by a galaxy group-size dark matter halo at redshift z l ~ 0.6. The projected dark matter contribution largely dominates the mass budget within the Einstein radius with f dm(< R Ein) ~ 80%. This fraction reduces to f dm(< R eff, G1 4.5 kpc) ~ 47% within the effective radius of the main deflecting galaxy of stellar mass M *, G1 = [8.5 ± 1.6] × 1011 M ☉. At this smaller scale the dark matter fraction is consistent with results already found for massive lensing ellipticals at z ~ 0.2 from the Sloan Lens ACS Survey.
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University of Chicago1, University of Wales2, California Institute of Technology3, University of British Columbia4, University of Toronto5, Harvard University6, National Institute of Standards and Technology7, University of California, San Diego8, Stanford University9, University of Minnesota10, Case Western Reserve University11
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on the design and performance of the Keck Array's cryostat and report some initial results on the performance of antenna-coupled TES detectors operating in the presence of a pulse tube.
Abstract: The Keck Array is a cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimeter that will begin observing from the South Pole in late 2010. The initial deployment will consist of three telescopes similar to BICEP2 housed in ultra-compact, pulse tube cooled cryostats. Two more receivers will be added the following year. In these proceedings we report on the design and performance of the Keck cryostat. We also report some initial results on the performance of antenna-coupled TES detectors operating in the presence of a pulse tube. We find that the performance of the detectors is not seriously impacted by the replacement of BICEP2's liquid helium cryostat with a pulse tube cooled cryostat.
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University of Toronto1, Princeton University2, Rutgers University3, Cardiff University4, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile5, University of British Columbia6, Sapienza University of Rome7, University of Pittsburgh8, Goddard Space Flight Center9, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory10, University of Pennsylvania11, National Institute of Standards and Technology12, University of Oxford13, Max Planck Society14, University of KwaZulu-Natal15, University of Miami16, National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics17, Stanford University18, Columbia University19, University of Tokyo20, Johns Hopkins University21, Haverford College22, University of Barcelona23, West Chester University of Pennsylvania24, Harvard University25
TL;DR: In this article, a new calibration method based on cross-correlations with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) was proposed and applied to data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT).
Abstract: We present a new calibration method based on cross-correlations with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and apply it to data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT). ACT's observing strategy and map-making procedure allows an unbiased reconstruction of the modes in the maps over a wide range of multipoles. By directly matching the ACT maps to WMAP observations in the multipole range of 400 < l < 1000, we determine the absolute calibration with an uncertainty of 2% in temperature. The precise measurement of the calibration error directly impacts the uncertainties in the cosmological parameters estimated from the ACT power spectra. We also present a combined map based on ACT and WMAP data that has a high signal-to-noise ratio over a wide range of multipoles.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the early stages of high-mass star formation were investigated in a multi-wavelength perspective based on an unbiased BLAST survey at 250, 350, and 500 μm, combined with rich data sets for this well-studied region.
Abstract: We present Cygnus X in a new multi-wavelength perspective based on an unbiased BLAST survey at 250, 350, and 500 μm, combined with rich data sets for this well-studied region. Our primary goal is to investigate the early stages of high-mass star formation. We have detected 184 compact sources in various stages of evolution across all three BLAST bands. From their well-constrained spectral energy distributions, we obtain the physical properties mass, surface density, bolometric luminosity, and dust temperature. Some of the bright sources reaching 40 K contain well-known compact H II regions. We relate these to other sources at earlier stages of evolution via the energetics as deduced from their position in the luminosity-mass (L-M) diagram. The BLAST spectral coverage, near the peak of the spectral energy distribution of the dust, reveals fainter sources too cool (~10 K) to be seen by earlier shorter-wavelength surveys like IRAS. We detect thermal emission from infrared dark clouds and investigate the phenomenon of cold "starless cores" more generally. Spitzer images of these cold sources often show stellar nurseries, but these potential sites for massive star formation are "starless" in the sense that to date there is no massive protostar in a vigorous accretion phase. We discuss evolution in the context of the L-M diagram. Theory raises some interesting possibilities: some cold massive compact sources might never form a cluster containing massive stars, and clusters with massive stars might not have an identifiable compact cold massive precursor.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present measurements of the auto-and cross-frequency correlation power spectra of the cosmic (sub)millimeter background at: 250, 350, and 500 um (1200, 860, and 600 GHz) from observations made with the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope, BLAST; and at 1380 and 2030 um (218 and 148 GHz) by observations made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, ACT.
Abstract: We present measurements of the auto- and cross-frequency correlation power spectra of the cosmic (sub)millimeter background at: 250, 350, and 500 um (1200, 860, and 600 GHz) from observations made with the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope, BLAST; and at 1380 and 2030 um (218 and 148 GHz) from observations made with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, ACT. The overlapping observations cover 8.6 deg^2 in an area relatively free of Galactic dust near the south ecliptic pole (SEP). The ACT bands are sensitive to radiation from the CMB, the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect from galaxy clusters, and to emission by radio and dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs), while the dominant contribution to the BLAST bands is from DSFGs. We confirm and extend the BLAST analysis of clustering with an independent pipeline, and also detect correlations between the ACT and BLAST maps at over 25sigma significance, which we interpret as a detection of the DSFGs in the ACT maps. In addition to a Poisson component in the cross-frequency power spectra, we detect a clustered signal at >4sigma, and using a model for the DSFG evolution and number counts, we successfully fit all our spectra with a linear clustering model and a bias that depends only on redshift and not on scale. Finally, the data are compared to, and generally agree with, phenomenological models for the DSFG population. This study represents a first of its kind, and demonstrates the constraining power of the cross-frequency correlation technique to constrain models for the DSFGs. Similar analyses with more data will impose tight constraints on future models.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors carried out a multi-wavelength study of individual galaxies detected by the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) and identified at other wavelengths, using data spanning the radio to the ultraviolet (UV).
Abstract: We carry out a multi-wavelength study of individual galaxies detected by the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) and identified at other wavelengths, using data spanning the radio to the ultraviolet (UV). We develop a Monte Carlo method to account for flux boosting, source blending, and correlations among bands, which we use to derive deboosted far-infrared (FIR) luminosities for our sample. We estimate total star-formation rates (SFRs) for BLAST counterparts with z ≤ 0.9 by combining their FIR and UV luminosities. Star formation is heavily obscured at L FIR 1011 L , z 0.5, but the contribution from unobscured starlight cannot be neglected at L FIR 1011 L , z 0.25. We assess that about 20% of the galaxies in our sample show indication of a type 1 active galactic nucleus, but their submillimeter emission is mainly due to star formation in the host galaxy. We compute stellar masses for a subset of 92 BLAST counterparts; these are relatively massive objects, with a median mass of ~1011 M , which seem to link the 24 μm and Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) populations, in terms of both stellar mass and star formation activity. The bulk of the BLAST counterparts at z 1 appears to be run-of-the-mill star-forming galaxies, typically spiral in shape, with intermediate stellar masses and practically constant specific SFRs. On the other hand, the high-z tail of the BLAST counterparts significantly overlaps with the SCUBA population, in terms of both SFRs and stellar masses, with observed trends of specific SFR that support strong evolution and downsizing.
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TL;DR: Spider as mentioned in this paper is a balloon-borne instrument to map the polarization of the millimeter-wave sky with degree angular resolution using monochromatic refracting telescopes, each illuminating a focal plane of large-format antenna-coupled bolometer arrays.
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.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a 350 GHz cryogenic passive video imaging system for use in standoff security applications is presented, which uses 800 photon-noise-limited superconducting transition edge sensor bolometers, read out using a time-division multiplexed readout system.
Abstract: We are developing a 350 GHz cryogenic passive video imaging system for use in standoff security applications.
This demonstration system uses 800 photon-noise-limited superconducting transition edge sensor bolometers,
read out using a time-division multiplexed readout system. It will image a 1 m x 1 m field of view at a standoff
distance of 16 m to a resolution of approximately 1 cm at video frame rates (20 frames per second). High spatial
resolution is achieved by the use of an f/2.0 Cassegrain optical system with 1.3 m primary mirror. Preliminary
dark and optical testing of prototype detectors indicates that we can achieve a noise equivalent temperature
difference (NETD) below 100 mK for the fully sampled 1 m x 1 m image at 20 frames per second. We report
on the current status of development of this system.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a balloon-borne microwave polarimeter that will map 8% of the sky with degree-scale angular resolution is described, which consists of a 1284 L liquid helium cryostat and a 16 L capillary-filled superfluid helium tank.
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.