arXiv subjects

K. D. Crowley

Publications and source records attributed to K. D. Crowley.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

The Simons Observatory: forecasted constraints on primordial gravitational waves with the expanded array of Small Aperture Telescopes

We present updated forecasts for the scientific performance of the degree-scale (0.5 deg FWHM at 93 GHz), deep-field survey to be conducted by the Simons Observatory (SO). By 2027, the SO Small Aperture Telescope (SAT) complement will be doubled from three to six telescopes, including a doubling of the detector count in the 93 GHz and 145 GHz channels to 48,160 detectors. Combined with a planned extension of the survey duration to 2035, this expansion will significantly enhance SO's search for a $B$-mode signal in the polarisation of the cosmic microwave background, a potential signature of gravitational waves produced in the very early Universe. Assuming a $1/f$ noise model with knee multipole $\ell_{\rm knee} = 50$ and a moderately complex model for Galactic foregrounds, we forecast a $1σ$ (or 68% confidence level) constraint on the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ of $σ_r = 1.2\times10^{-3}$, assuming no primordial $B$-modes are present. This forecast assumes that 70% of the $B$-mode lensing signal can ultimately be removed using high resolution observations from the SO Large Aperture Telescope (LAT) and overlapping large-scale structure surveys. For more optimistic assumptions regarding foregrounds and noise, and assuming the same level of delensing, this forecast constraint improves to $σ_r = 7\times10^{-4}$. These forecasts represent a major improvement in SO's constraining power, being a factor of around 2.5 times better than what could be achieved with the originally planned campaign, which assumed the existing three SATs would conduct a five-year survey.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

The Simons Observatory: Science Goals and Forecasts for the Enhanced Large Aperture Telescope

We describe updated scientific goals for the wide-field, millimeter-wave survey that will be produced by the Simons Observatory (SO). Significant upgrades to the 6-meter SO Large Aperture Telescope (LAT) are expected to be complete by 2028, and will include a doubled mapping speed with 30,000 new detectors and an automated data reduction pipeline. In addition, a new photovoltaic array will supply most of the observatory's power. The LAT survey will cover about 60% of the sky at a regular observing cadence, with five times the angular resolution and ten times the map depth of Planck. The science goals are to: (1) determine the physical conditions in the early universe and constrain the existence of new light particles; (2) measure the integrated distribution of mass, electron pressure, and electron momentum in the late-time universe, and, in combination with optical surveys, determine the neutrino mass and the effects of dark energy via tomographic measurements of the growth of structure at $z < 3$; (3) measure the distribution of electron density and pressure around galaxy groups and clusters, and calibrate the effects of energy input from galaxy formation on the surrounding environment; (4) produce a sample of more than 30,000 galaxy clusters, and more than 100,000 extragalactic millimeter sources, including regularly sampled AGN light-curves, to study these sources and their emission physics; (5) measure the polarized emission from magnetically aligned dust grains in our Galaxy, to study the properties of dust and the role of magnetic fields in star formation; (6) constrain asteroid regoliths, search for Trans-Neptunian Objects, and either detect or eliminate large portions of the phase space in the search for Planet 9; and (7) provide a powerful new window into the transient universe on time scales of minutes to years, concurrent with observations from Rubin of overlapping sky.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2018

Design and characterization of a ground-based absolute polarization calibrator for use with polarization sensitive CMB experiments

We present the design and characterization of a ground-based absolute polarization angle calibrator accurate to better than 0.1 degrees for use with polarization sensitive cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. The calibrator's accuracy requirement is driven by the need to reduce upper limits on cosmic polarization rotation, which is expected to be zero in a large class of cosmological models. Cosmic polarization effects such as cosmic birefringence and primordial magnetic fields can generate spurious B-modes that result in non-zero CMB TB and EB correlations that are degenerate with a misalignment of detector orientation. Common polarized astrophysical sources used for absolute polarization angle calibration have not been characterized to better than 0.5 degrees. Higher accuracy can be achieved through self-calibration methods, however these are subject to astrophysical foreground contamination and inherently assume the absence of effects like cosmic polarization rotation. The deficiencies in these two calibration methods highlight the need for a well characterized polarized source. The calibrator we present utilizes a 76 GHz Gunn oscillator coupled to a frequency doubler, pyramidal horn antenna, and co-rotating wire-grid polarizer. We use an accurate bubble level in combination with four precision-grade aluminum planes located within the enclosure to calibrate the source's linear polarization plane with respect to the local gravity vector to better than the 0.1 degree goal. In 2017 the calibrator was deployed for an engineering test run on the POLARBEAR CMB experiment located in Chile's Atacama Desert and is being upgraded for calibration of the POLARBEAR-2b receiver in 2018. In the following work we present a detailed overview of the calibrator design, systematic control, characterization, deployment, and plans for future CMB experiment absolute polarization calibration.

astro-ph.IM↗