The USAP Portal: Science and Support in Antarctica - 2005-2006 Science Planning Summary


Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (BICEP)
BICEP mount and environmental enclosure. The mount allows the receiver to continuously rotate about the optical axis and periodically toggle by 180 degrees in azimuth.	Aeronomy and Astrophysics Program Manager: Dr. Vladimir Papitashvili Station: South Pole Station A-033-S NSF/OPP Award 02-30438 RPSC POC: Charles Kaminski
Dr. Andrew Lange (Principal Investigator) ael@astro.caltech.edu http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~lgg/bicep_front.htm
California Institute of Technology Physics Dates in Antarctica: Instruments operate year-round Research Locations: Dark Sector Lab Deploying Team Members: Denis Barkats · Jamie Bock · H. Cynthia Chiang · Charles Darren Dowell · Gregory Griffin · Brian Keating · John Kovac · Chao-lin Kuo · Andrew Lange · Pete Mason · Hien Trong Nguyen · Tom Renbarger · Yuki Takahashi · Lawrence Weintraub · Kiwon Yoon Project Description: BICEP is an experiment designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to unprecedented precision, and in turn answer crucial questions about the beginnings of the Universe. It will operate at 100 GHz and 150 GHz at angular resolutions of 1.0° and 0.7°, respectively, with an array of 98 polarization-sensitive bolometers (PSBs), mapping a large region of the sky around the South Celestial Pole. Its design is optimized to provide exquisite sensitivity to CMB polarization on medium to large angular scales, allowing it to directly probe for the gravitational wave signature of inflation.
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