The Milano polarimeter: an instrument to search for large scale polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background

• Published in: AIP Conference Proceedings
• Main Authors: ZANNONI, MARIO, BOELLA, GIULIANO FILIPPO, GERVASI, MASSIMO, PASSERINI, ANDREA, SIRONI, GIORGIO, Battistelli, E, Cavaliere, F
• Other Authors: Zannoni, M, Boella, G, Gervasi, M, Passerini, A, Sironi, G
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: AIP 2002
• Subjects: CMB; Polarization; Cosmology; Settore PHYS-05/A - Astrofisica; cosmologia e scienza dello spazio; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10281/38981; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1475622

The expected polarized component of the CMB signal is extremely faint. On degree angular scales and above it can be in the range of one part to 10 6 or 10 7. To detect such an elusive signal a dedicated instrument must be designed. We present the new Milano polarimeter, a 33-GHz correlation system able to detect both linear and circular polarization. It has been designed to operate at large angular scale (7deg-14deg) from the ground. In the light of the last observing campaign conducted from Antarctica we have partially redesigned the radiometer to improve its long term stability and sensitivity