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

Abstract

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.

6 pages including 5 figures. Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal

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• The Temperature of the CMB at 10 GHz
• A Low Noise Thermometer Readout for Ruthenium Oxide Resistors

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• TRIS II: search for CMB spectral distortions at 0.60, 0.82 and 2.5 GHz
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• ARCADE: Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission
• Design and Calibration of a Cryogenic Blackbody Calibrator at Centimeter Wavelengths
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