arXiv subjects

D. J. Fixsen

Publications and source records attributed to D. J. Fixsen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Interpretation of the Extragalactic Radio Background

We use absolutely calibrated data between 3 and 90 GHz from the 2006 balloon flight of the ARCADE 2 instrument, along with previous measurements at other frequencies, to constrain models of extragalactic emission. Such emission is a combination of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) monopole, Galactic foreground emission, the integrated contribution of radio emission from external galaxies, any spectral distortions present in the CMB, and any other extragalactic source. After removal of estimates of foreground emission from our own Galaxy, and the estimated contribution of external galaxies, we present fits to a combination of the flat-spectrum CMB and potential spectral distortions in the CMB. We find 2 sigma upper limits to CMB spectral distortions of mu < 5.8 x 10^{-5} and Y_ff < 6.2 x 10^{-5}. We also find a significant detection of a residual signal beyond that which can be explained by the CMB plus the integrated radio emission from galaxies estimated from existing surveys. After subtraction of an estimate of the contribution of discrete radio sources, this unexplained signal is consistent with extragalactic emission in the form of a power law with amplitude 1.06 \pm 0.11 K at 1 GHz and a spectral index of -2.56 \pm 0.04.

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arXiv2009

ARCADE 2 Observations of Galactic Radio Emission

We use absolutely calibrated data from the ARCADE 2 flight in July 2006 to model Galactic emission at frequencies 3, 8, and 10 GHz. The spatial structure in the data is consistent with a superposition of free-free and synchrotron emission. Emission with spatial morphology traced by the Haslam 408 MHz survey has spectral index beta_synch = -2.5 +/- 0.1, with free-free emission contributing 0.10 +/- 0.01 of the total Galactic plane emission in the lowest ARCADE 2 band at 3.15 GHz. We estimate the total Galactic emission toward the polar caps using either a simple plane-parallel model with csc|b| dependence or a model of high-latitude radio emission traced by the COBE/FIRAS map of CII emission. Both methods are consistent with a single power-law over the frequency range 22 MHz to 10 GHz, with total Galactic emission towards the north polar cap T_Gal = 0.498 +/- 0.028 K and spectral index beta = -2.55 +/- 0.03 at reference frequency 1 GHz. The well calibrated ARCADE 2 maps provide a new test for spinning dust emission, based on the integrated intensity of emission from the Galactic plane instead of cross-correlations with the thermal dust spatial morphology. The Galactic plane intensity measured by ARCADE 2 is fainter than predicted by models without spinning dust, and is consistent with spinning dust contributing 0.4 +/- 0.1 of the Galactic plane emission at 22 GHz.

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arXiv2009

ARCADE 2 Measurement of the Extra-Galactic Sky Temperature at 3-90 GHz

The ARCADE 2 instrument has measured the absolute temperature of the sky at frequencies 3, 8, 10, 30, and 90 GHz, using an open-aperture cryogenic instrument observing at balloon altitudes with no emissive windows between the beam-forming optics and the sky. An external blackbody calibrator provides an {\it in situ} reference. Systematic errors were greatly reduced by using differential radiometers and cooling all critical components to physical temperatures approximating the CMB temperature. A linear model is used to compare the output of each radiometer to a set of thermometers on the instrument. Small corrections are made for the residual emission from the flight train, balloon, atmosphere, and foreground Galactic emission. The ARCADE 2 data alone show an extragalactic rise of $50\pm7$ mK at 3.3 GHz in addition to a CMB temperature of $2.730\pm .004$ K. Combining the ARCADE 2 data with data from the literature shows a background power law spectrum of $T=1.26\pm 0.09$ [K] $(ν/ν_0)^{-2.60\pm 0.04}$ from 22 MHz to 10 GHz ($ν_0=1$ GHz) in addition to a CMB temperature of $2.725\pm .001$ K.

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arXiv2006

The optical performance of frequency selective bolometers

Frequency Selective Bolometers (FSBs) are a new type of detector for millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths that are transparent to all but a narrow range of frequencies as set by characteristics of the absorber itself. Therefore, stacks of FSBs tuned to different frequencies provide a low-loss compact method for utilizing a large fraction of the light collected by a telescope. Tests of prototype FSBs, described here, indicate that the absorption spectra are well predicted by models, that peak absolute absorption efficiencies of order 50% are attainable, and that their out-of-band transmission is high.

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arXiv2004

Design and Calibration of a Cryogenic Blackbody Calibrator at Centimeter Wavelengths

We describe the design and calibration of an external cryogenic blackbody calibrator used for the first two flights of the Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission (ARCADE) instrument. The calibrator consists of a microwave absorber weakly coupled to a superfluid liquid helium bath. Half-wave corrugations viewed 30 deg off axis reduce the return loss below -35 dB. Ruthenium oxide resistive thermometers embedded within the absorber monitor the temperature across the face of the calibrator. The thermal calibration transfers the calibration of a reference thermometer to the flight thermometers using the flight thermometer readout system. Data taken near the superfluid transition in 8 independent calibrations 4 years apart agree within 0.3 mK, providing an independent verification of the thermometer calibration at temperatures near that of the cosmic microwave background.

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arXiv2004

The Temperature of the CMB at 10 GHz

We report the results of an effort to measure the low frequency portion of the spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB), using a balloon-borne instrument called ARCADE (Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission). These measurements are to search for deviations from a thermal spectrum that are expected to exist in the CMB due to various processes in the early universe. The radiometric temperature was measured at 10 and 30 GHz using a cryogenic open-aperture instrument with no emissive windows. An external blackbody calibrator provides an in situ reference. A linear model is used to compare the radiometer output to a set of thermometers on the instrument. The unmodeled residuals are less than 50 mK peak-to-peak with a weighted RMS of 6 mK. Small corrections are made for the residual emission from the flight train, atmosphere, and foreground Galactic emission. The measured radiometric temperature of the CMB is 2.721 +/- 0.010 K at 10 GHz and 2.694 +/- 0.032 K at 30 GHz.

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arXiv2004

An Instrument to Measure the Temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation at Centimeter Wavelengths

The Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission (ARCADE) is a balloon-borne instrument to measure the temperature of the cosmic microwave background at centimeter wavelengths. ARCADE uses narrow-band cryogenic radiometers to compare the sky to an external full-aperture calibrator. To minimize potential sources of systematic error, ARCADE uses a novel open-aperture design which maintains the antennas and calibrator at temperatures near 3 K at the mouth of an open bucket Dewar, without windows or other warm objects between the antennas and the sky. We discuss the design and performance of the ARCADE instrument from its 2001 and 2003 flights.

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arXiv2003

The Spectrum of Integrated Millimeter Flux of the Magellanic Clouds and 30-Doradus from TopHat and DIRBE Data

We present measurements of the integrated flux relative to the local background of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the region 30-Doradus (the Tarantula Nebula) in the LMC in four frequency bands centered at 245, 400, 460, and 630 GHz, based on observations made with the TopHat telescope. We combine these observations with the corresponding measurements for the DIRBE bands 8, 9, and 10 to cover the frequency range 245 - 3000 GHz (100 - 1220 micrometers) for these objects. We present spectra for all three objects and fit these spectra to a single-component greybody emission model and report best-fit dust temperatures, optical depths, and emissivity power-law indices, and we compare these results with other measurements in these regions and elsewhere. Using published dust grain opacities, we estimate the mass of the measured dust component in the three regions.

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arXiv2002

Implications of the Sample Rate on Large Space Telescopes

The frequency at which a large space telescope's (e.g. NGST's) detector chips are read, or the sample rate, is tightly coupled to many hardware and operational aspects of the telescope's instrument and data handling elements. In this paper we discuss many of the drivers and important implications fo the sample rate: the data rate to the ground; onboard computer storage, bandwidth, and speed; the number of A->D chips, and therefore the overall size and power requirements of the analog electronics; cryocabling requirements; and detector noise and power. We discuss and parametrize these and other elements related to sample rate. Finally, we discuss the implications of sample rate in the context of achieving the most important science goals under the constraint of fixed cost.

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arXiv2002

A Low Noise Thermometer Readout for Ruthenium Oxide Resistors

The thermometer and thermal control system, for the Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission (ARCADE) experiment, is described, including the design, testing, and results from the first flight of ARCADE. The noise is equivalent to about 1 Omega or 0.15 mK in a second for the RuO_2 resistive thermometers at 2.7 K. The average power dissipation in each thermometer is 1 nW. The control system can take full advantage of the thermometers to maintain stable temperatures. Systematic effects are still under investigation, but the measured precision and accuracy are sufficient to allow measurement of the cosmic background spectrum. Journal-ref: Review of Scientific Instruments Vol 73 #10 (Oct 2002)

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arXiv2001

Quantum Gravity and Astrophysics: The Microwave Background and Other Thermal Sources

The problem of formulating a fully consistent quantum gravity theory (QGT) has not yet been solved. Even before we are able to work out the details of a complete theory, however, we do know some important qualitative features to be expected in any quantum theory. Fluctuations of the metric, for example, are expected and are associated with fluctuations of the lightcone. Lightcone fluctuations affect the arrival time of signals from distant sources in potentially measurable ways, broadening the spectra. In this paper, we start with a thermal spectrum and derive the form of spectral changes expected in a wide class of QGTs. We apply these results, valid for any thermal spectrum, to the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The CMB offers two advantages: (1) deviations from a thermal spectrum are well constrained, and (2) the radiation emanates from the most distant source of light, the surface of last scattering. We use existing CMB data to derive an upper bound on the value of $Δt,$ the mean spread in arrival times due to metric fluctuations: ${Δt} < 2.1 \times 10^{-14}$ s at the 95% confidence limit. This limit applies to a wide range of QGTs, and falsifies those predicting a larger spread in arrival times. We find this limit rules out at least one QGT, the 5-dimensional theory in which the "extra" dimension is flat. Tests of other models may also be possible, depending on the results of calculations to predict values of Δt,$ and also a second time scale, $τ_c,$ the correlation time, which is the characteristic time scale of the metric fluctuations. We show that stronger limits on the value of $Δt,$ hence on lightcone fluctuations, can likely be derived through observations of of higher-T sources, e.g., in the X-ray and gamma-ray regimes.

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arXiv2000

Validation of Up-the-Ramp Sampling with Cosmic Ray Rejection on IR Detectors

We examine cosmic ray rejection methodology on data collected from InSb and Si:As detectors. The application of an Up-the-Ramp sampling technique with cosmic ray identification and mitigation is the focus of this study. This technique is valuable for space-based observatories which are exposed to high-radiation environments. We validate the Up-the-Ramp approach on radiation-test data sets with InSb and Si:As detectors which were generated for SIRTF. The Up-the-Ramp sampling method studied in this paper is over 99.9% effective at removing cosmic rays and preserves the structure and photometric quality of the image to well within the measurement error.

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arXiv2000

Cosmic Ray Rejection and Readout Efficiency for Large-Area Arrays

We present an algorithm to optimally process uniformly sampled array image data obtained with a nondestructive readout. The algorithm discards full wells, removes cosmic ray (particle) hits and other glitches, and makes a nearly optimum estimate of the signal on each pixel. The algorithm also compresses the data. The computer requirements are modest, and the results are robust. The results are shown and compared to results of Fowler sampled and processed data. Non-ideal detector performance may require some additional code, but this is not expected to cost much processing time. Known types of detector faults are addressed.

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arXiv2000

Multi-Read Out Data Simulator

We present a data simulation package designed to create a series of simulated data samples for a detector with non-destructive sampling capability. The original intent of this software was to provide a method for generating simulated images for the Next Generation Space Telescope, but it is general enough to apply to almost any non-destructive detector or instrument. MultiDataSim can be used to generate "practice" sampling strategies for an instrument or field-of-view, and thus can be used to identify optimal observation strategies.

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arXiv2000

Dithering Strategies for Efficient Self-Calibration of Imaging Arrays

With high sensitivity imaging arrays, accurate calibration is essential to achieve the limits of detection of space observatories. One can simultaneously extract information about the scene being observed and the calibration properties of the detector and imaging system from redundant dithered images of a scene. There are large differences in the effectiveness of dithering strategies for allowing the separation of detector properties from sky brightness measurements. In this paper, we quantify these differences by developing a figure of merit (FOM) for dithering procedures based on their usefulness for allowing calibration on all spatial scales. The figure of merit measures how well the gain characteristics of the detector are encoded in the measurements, and is independent of the techniques used to analyze the data. Patterns similar to the antenna arrangements of radio interferometers with good u-v plane coverage, are found to have good figures of merit. We present patterns for both deep surveys of limited sky areas and for shallow surveys. By choosing a strategy that encodes the calibration in the observations in an easily extractable way, we enhance our ability to calibrate our detector systems and to reach the ultimate limits of sensitivity which are required to achieve the promise of many missions.

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arXiv2000

Calibrating Array Detectors

The development of sensitive large format imaging arrays for the infrared promises to provide revolutionary capabilities for space astronomy. For example, the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on SIRTF will use four 256 x 256 arrays to provide background limited high spatial resolution images of the sky in the 3 to 8 micron spectral region. In order to reach the performance limits possible with this generation of sensitive detectors, calibration procedures must be developed so that uncertainties in detector calibration will always be dominated by photon statistics from the dark sky as a major system noise source. In the near infrared, where the faint extragalactic sky is observed through the scattered and reemitted zodiacal light from our solar system, calibration is particularly important. Faint sources must be detected on this brighter local foreground. We present a procedure for calibrating imaging systems and analyzing such data. In our approach, by proper choice of observing strategy, information about detector parameters is encoded in the sky measurements. Proper analysis allows us to simultaneously solve for sky brightness and detector parameters, and provides accurate formal error estimates. This approach allows us to extract the calibration from the observations themselves; little or no additional information is necessary to allow full interpretation of the data. Further, this approach allows refinement and verification of detector parameters during the mission, and thus does not depend on a priori knowledge of the system or ground calibration for interpretation of images.

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arXiv1999

New CMB Power Spectrum Constraints from MSAMI

We present new cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy results from the combined analysis of the three flights of the first Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement (MSAM1). This balloon-borne bolometric instrument measured about 10 square degrees of sky at half-degree resolution in 4 frequency bands from 5.2 icm to 20 icm with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Here we present an overview of our analysis methods, compare the results from the three flights, derive new constraints on the CMB power spectrum from the combined data and reduce the data to total-power Wiener-filtered maps of the CMB. A key feature of this new analysis is a determination of the amplitude of CMB fluctuations at $\ell \sim 400$. The analysis technique is described in a companion paper by Knox.

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arXiv1999

COBE-FIRAS Observations of Galactic Lines

The COBE Far InfraRed Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS) observations constitute an unbiased survey over the wavelength range from 100 um to 1 cm over 99% of the sky. Improved calibration of the FIRAS instrument and the inclusion of all of the FIRAS data allow an improved signal to noise determination of the spectral lines by a factor of ~2 over our previous results. The resolution is low (0.45 cm^{-1}) so only the strongest lines are observable. The CO chain from J=1-0 to J=8-7 is observed towards the Galactic center. The line ratios are roughly consistent with a 40 K excitation temperature. The 157.7 um C II and 205.3 um N II lines are observable over most of the sky. The 370.4 um and 609.1 um lines of C I, and the 121.9 um line of N II are observed in the Galactic plane. The line ratios at the Galactic center are consistent with a density of n_0 ~30 cm^{-3} and a UV flux of G_0 ~15 uW m^{-2} sr^{-1} (10 Habing units). The 269 um H2O line is observed toward the Galactic center in absorption.

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