SpiderOptimization: Probing the Systematics of a Large‐ScaleB‐Mode Experiment

Citations Over TimeTop 12% of 2008 papers

Abstract

Spider is a long-duration, balloon-borne polarimeter designed to measure large-scale cosmic microwave background
\n(CMB) polarization with very high sensitivity and control of systematics. The instrument will map over half the sky
\nwith degree angular resolution in the I, Q, and U Stokes parameters in four frequency bands from 96 to 275 GHz.
\nSpider’s ultimate goal is to detect the primordial gravity-wave signal imprinted on the CMB B-mode polarization.
\nOne of the challenges in achieving this goal is the minimization of the contamination of B-modes by systematic effects.
\nThis paper explores a number of instrument systematics and observing strategies in order to optimize B-mode sensitivity.
\nThis is done by injecting realistic-amplitude, time-varying systematics into a set of simulated time streams.
\nTests of the impact of detector noise characteristics, pointing jitter, payload pendulations, polarization angle offsets,
\nbeam systematics, and receiver gain drifts are shown. Spider’s default observing strategy is to spin continuously in
\nazimuth, with polarization modulation achieved by either a rapidly spinning half-wave plate or a rapidly spinning gondola
\nand a slowly stepped half-wave plate. Although the latter is more susceptible to systematics, the results shown
\nhere indicate that either mode of operation can be used by Spider.

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