The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations

A. D. Hincks; P. A.R. Ade; C. Allen; M. Amiri; J. W. Appel; E. S. Battistelli; B. Burger; J. A. Chervenak; A. J. Dahlen; S. Denny; M. J. Devlin; S. R. Dicker; W. B. Doriese; R. Dünner; T. Essinger-Hileman; R. P. Fisher; J. W. Fowler; M. Halpern; P. C. Hargrave; M. Hasselfield; G. C. Hilton; K. D. Irwin; N. Jarosik; M. Kaul; J. Klein; J. M. Lau; M. Limon; R. H. Lupton; T. A. Marriage; K. L. Martocci; P. Mauskopf; S. H. Moseley; C. B. Netterfield; M. D. Niemack; M. R. Nolta; L. Page; L. P. Parker; A. J. Sederberg; S. T. Staggs; O. R. Stryzak; D. S. Swetz; E. R. Switzer; R. J. Thornton; C. Tucker; E. J. Wollack; Y. Zhao

doi:10.1117/12.790020

The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations

A. D. Hincks, P. A.R. Ade, C. Allen, M. Amiri, J. W. Appel, E. S. Battistelli, B. Burger, J. A. Chervenak, A. J. Dahlen, S. Denny, M. J. Devlin, S. R. Dicker, W. B. Doriese, R. Dünner, T. Essinger-Hileman, R. P. Fisher, J. W. Fowler, M. Halpern, P. C. Hargrave, M. HasselfieldG. C. Hilton, K. D. Irwin, N. Jarosik, M. Kaul, J. Klein, J. M. Lau, M. Limon, R. H. Lupton, T. A. Marriage, K. L. Martocci, P. Mauskopf, S. H. Moseley, C. B. Netterfield, M. D. Niemack, M. R. Nolta, L. Page, L. P. Parker, A. J. Sederberg, S. T. Staggs, O. R. Stryzak, D. S. Swetz, E. R. Switzer, R. J. Thornton, C. Tucker, E. J. Wollack, Y. Zhao

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a six meter, off-axis Gregorian telescope for measuring the cosmic microwave background at arcminute resolutions. The Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera (MBAC) is its current science instrument. Erected in the Atacama, Desert of Chile in early 2007, it saw first light with the MBAC on 22 October 2007. In this paper we review its performance after one month of observing, focusing in particular on issues surrounding the alignment of the optical system that impact the sensitivity of the experiment. We discuss the telescope motion, pointing, and susceptibility to thermal distortions. We describe the mirror alignment procedure, which has yielded surface deviations of 31 μm rms on the primary and 10 μm rms on the secondary. Observations of planets show that the optical performance is consistent with the telescope design parameters. Preliminary analysis measures a solid angle of about 215 nanosteradians with a full width at half maximum of 1.44 arcminutes at 145 GHz.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790020
State	Published - 2008
Event	Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV - Marseille, France Duration: Jun 26 2008 → Jun 28 2008

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	7020
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X

Other

Other	Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV
Country/Territory	France
City	Marseille
Period	6/26/08 → 6/28/08

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

CMB observations
Microwave telescopes

Access to Document

10.1117/12.790020

Cite this

Hincks, A. D., Ade, P. A. R., Allen, C., Amiri, M., Appel, J. W., Battistelli, E. S., Burger, B., Chervenak, J. A., Dahlen, A. J., Denny, S., Devlin, M. J., Dicker, S. R., Doriese, W. B., Dünner, R., Essinger-Hileman, T., Fisher, R. P., Fowler, J. W., Halpern, M., Hargrave, P. C., ... Zhao, Y. (2008). The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations. In Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV Article 70201P (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 7020). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790020

@inproceedings{be6236d3f200443ea3b5f6f65fc809a4,

title = "The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations",

abstract = "The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a six meter, off-axis Gregorian telescope for measuring the cosmic microwave background at arcminute resolutions. The Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera (MBAC) is its current science instrument. Erected in the Atacama, Desert of Chile in early 2007, it saw first light with the MBAC on 22 October 2007. In this paper we review its performance after one month of observing, focusing in particular on issues surrounding the alignment of the optical system that impact the sensitivity of the experiment. We discuss the telescope motion, pointing, and susceptibility to thermal distortions. We describe the mirror alignment procedure, which has yielded surface deviations of 31 μm rms on the primary and 10 μm rms on the secondary. Observations of planets show that the optical performance is consistent with the telescope design parameters. Preliminary analysis measures a solid angle of about 215 nanosteradians with a full width at half maximum of 1.44 arcminutes at 145 GHz.",

keywords = "CMB observations, Microwave telescopes",

author = "Hincks, {A. D.} and Ade, {P. A.R.} and C. Allen and M. Amiri and Appel, {J. W.} and Battistelli, {E. S.} and B. Burger and Chervenak, {J. A.} and Dahlen, {A. J.} and S. Denny and Devlin, {M. J.} and Dicker, {S. R.} and Doriese, {W. B.} and R. D{\"u}nner and T. Essinger-Hileman and Fisher, {R. P.} and Fowler, {J. W.} and M. Halpern and Hargrave, {P. C.} and M. Hasselfield and Hilton, {G. C.} and Irwin, {K. D.} and N. Jarosik and M. Kaul and J. Klein and Lau, {J. M.} and M. Limon and Lupton, {R. H.} and Marriage, {T. A.} and Martocci, {K. L.} and P. Mauskopf and Moseley, {S. H.} and Netterfield, {C. B.} and Niemack, {M. D.} and Nolta, {M. R.} and L. Page and Parker, {L. P.} and Sederberg, {A. J.} and Staggs, {S. T.} and Stryzak, {O. R.} and Swetz, {D. S.} and Switzer, {E. R.} and Thornton, {R. J.} and C. Tucker and Wollack, {E. J.} and Y. Zhao",

year = "2008",

doi = "10.1117/12.790020",

language = "English (US)",

isbn = "9780819472304",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

booktitle = "Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV",

note = "Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV ; Conference date: 26-06-2008 Through 28-06-2008",

}

Hincks, AD, Ade, PAR, Allen, C, Amiri, M, Appel, JW, Battistelli, ES, Burger, B, Chervenak, JA, Dahlen, AJ, Denny, S, Devlin, MJ, Dicker, SR, Doriese, WB, Dünner, R, Essinger-Hileman, T, Fisher, RP, Fowler, JW, Halpern, M, Hargrave, PC, Hasselfield, M, Hilton, GC, Irwin, KD, Jarosik, N, Kaul, M, Klein, J, Lau, JM, Limon, M, Lupton, RH, Marriage, TA, Martocci, KL, Mauskopf, P, Moseley, SH, Netterfield, CB, Niemack, MD, Nolta, MR, Page, L, Parker, LP, Sederberg, AJ, Staggs, ST, Stryzak, OR, Swetz, DS, Switzer, ER, Thornton, RJ, Tucker, C, Wollack, EJ & Zhao, Y 2008, The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations. in Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV., 70201P, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 7020, Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, Marseille, France, 6/26/08. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790020

The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations. / Hincks, A. D.; Ade, P. A.R.; Allen, C. et al.
Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV. 2008. 70201P (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 7020).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations

AU - Hincks, A. D.

AU - Ade, P. A.R.

AU - Allen, C.

AU - Amiri, M.

AU - Appel, J. W.

AU - Battistelli, E. S.

AU - Burger, B.

AU - Chervenak, J. A.

AU - Dahlen, A. J.

AU - Denny, S.

AU - Devlin, M. J.

AU - Dicker, S. R.

AU - Doriese, W. B.

AU - Dünner, R.

AU - Essinger-Hileman, T.

AU - Fisher, R. P.

AU - Fowler, J. W.

AU - Halpern, M.

AU - Hargrave, P. C.

AU - Hasselfield, M.

AU - Hilton, G. C.

AU - Irwin, K. D.

AU - Jarosik, N.

AU - Kaul, M.

AU - Klein, J.

AU - Lau, J. M.

AU - Limon, M.

AU - Lupton, R. H.

AU - Marriage, T. A.

AU - Martocci, K. L.

AU - Mauskopf, P.

AU - Moseley, S. H.

AU - Netterfield, C. B.

AU - Niemack, M. D.

AU - Nolta, M. R.

AU - Page, L.

AU - Parker, L. P.

AU - Sederberg, A. J.

AU - Staggs, S. T.

AU - Stryzak, O. R.

AU - Swetz, D. S.

AU - Switzer, E. R.

AU - Thornton, R. J.

AU - Tucker, C.

AU - Wollack, E. J.

AU - Zhao, Y.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a six meter, off-axis Gregorian telescope for measuring the cosmic microwave background at arcminute resolutions. The Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera (MBAC) is its current science instrument. Erected in the Atacama, Desert of Chile in early 2007, it saw first light with the MBAC on 22 October 2007. In this paper we review its performance after one month of observing, focusing in particular on issues surrounding the alignment of the optical system that impact the sensitivity of the experiment. We discuss the telescope motion, pointing, and susceptibility to thermal distortions. We describe the mirror alignment procedure, which has yielded surface deviations of 31 μm rms on the primary and 10 μm rms on the secondary. Observations of planets show that the optical performance is consistent with the telescope design parameters. Preliminary analysis measures a solid angle of about 215 nanosteradians with a full width at half maximum of 1.44 arcminutes at 145 GHz.

AB - The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a six meter, off-axis Gregorian telescope for measuring the cosmic microwave background at arcminute resolutions. The Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera (MBAC) is its current science instrument. Erected in the Atacama, Desert of Chile in early 2007, it saw first light with the MBAC on 22 October 2007. In this paper we review its performance after one month of observing, focusing in particular on issues surrounding the alignment of the optical system that impact the sensitivity of the experiment. We discuss the telescope motion, pointing, and susceptibility to thermal distortions. We describe the mirror alignment procedure, which has yielded surface deviations of 31 μm rms on the primary and 10 μm rms on the secondary. Observations of planets show that the optical performance is consistent with the telescope design parameters. Preliminary analysis measures a solid angle of about 215 nanosteradians with a full width at half maximum of 1.44 arcminutes at 145 GHz.

KW - CMB observations

KW - Microwave telescopes

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=52249108688&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=52249108688&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1117/12.790020

DO - 10.1117/12.790020

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:52249108688

SN - 9780819472304

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV

T2 - Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV

Y2 - 26 June 2008 through 28 June 2008

ER -

Hincks AD, Ade PAR, Allen C, Amiri M, Appel JW, Battistelli ES et al. The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations. In Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV. 2008. 70201P. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering). doi: 10.1117/12.790020

The effects of the mechanical performance and alignment of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope on the sensitivity of microwave observations

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Keywords

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