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Optical Development for the SPIDER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarimeter

Nagy, Johanna Marie, Nagy
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1474029179516025

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Physics.
The generation of a stochastic background of gravitational waves is a key prediction of inflation. At large angular scales, these gravitational waves imprint a B-mode polarization pattern in the Cosmic Microwave Background, providing a new window into the physics of the early universe and helping to constrain and distinguish between inflationary models. SPIDER is a balloon-borne telescope uniquely optimized to search for the inflationary B-mode signature. Over the course of two Antarctic flights, SPIDER will make polarization maps over 10% of the sky in three frequency bands with degree-scale angular resolution. The SPIDER optics are designed to take advantage of the low atmospheric loading and large sky coverage accessible from the ballooning platform through a combination of high optical efficiency, low in-band loading, and strong sidelobe rejection. These goals are applied to the design, fabrication, and testing of many optical components including forebaffles, windows, and half-wave plate polarization modulators. A review of instrument performance is presented as a validation of the optical system, including the polarization angle calibration and preliminary data analysis from the first flight in January 2015. Preparations for a second flight in December 2017 are currently underway.
John Ruhl (Advisor)
Corbin Covault (Committee Member)
Claudia de Rham (Committee Member)
Francis Merat (Committee Member)
152 p.
Astrophysics; Optics; Physics
CMB; Cosmic Microwave Background; Cosmology; Polarimetry; Optical Design; Microwave Optics; Scientific Ballooning

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Nagy, Nagy, J. M. (2017). Optical Development for the SPIDER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarimeter [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1474029179516025

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Nagy, Nagy, Johanna. Optical Development for the SPIDER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarimeter. 2017. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1474029179516025.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Nagy, Nagy, Johanna. "Optical Development for the SPIDER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarimeter." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1474029179516025

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1474029179516025
141
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.