MAXIMA: Observations of CMB Anisotropy

Abstract

This document describes the Millimeter Anisotropy eXperiment IMaging Array (MAXIMA), a balloon-borne experiment measuring the temperature anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) on angular scales of 10 arcminutes to 5 degrees. MAXIMA maps the CMB using 16 bolometric detectors observing in spectral bands centered at 150 GHz, 230 GHz, and 410 GHz, with 10 arcminute resolution at all frequencies. The combined receiver sensitivity to CMB anisotropy is 40 micro-K*(sec^0.5). During two flights with a total of 8.5 hours of CMB observations, 300 square degrees of the sky were mapped. MAXIMA data are used to discriminate between cosmological models and to determine cosmological parameters; results are presented from the 1998 flight. The angular power spectrum derived from these data shows a narrow peak near l=200, and is consistent with inflationary Big Bang models. Cosmological parameters are estimated, including total density Omega(total)=0.9(-0.16,+0.18), baryon density Omega(b)h^2=0.033(+/-0.013), and power spectrum normalization C(10)=690(-125,+200) micro-K^2. The final chapter is a discussion CMB polarization anisotropy, including an overview of MAXIPOL, the polarization sensitive follow-up to MAXIMA.