80 research outputs found
Development of Lumped Element Kinetic Inductance Detectors for NIKA
Lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors(LEKIDs) have recently shown
considerable promise as direct absorption mm-wavelength detectors for
astronomical applications. One major research thrust within the N\'eel Iram
Kids Array (NIKA) collaboration has been to investigate the suitability of
these detectors for deployment at the 30-meter IRAM telescope located on Pico
Veleta in Spain. Compared to microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKID),
using quarter wavelength resonators, the resonant circuit of a LEKID consists
of a discrete inductance and capacitance coupled to a feedline. A high and
constant current density distribution in the inductive part of these resonators
makes them very sensitive. Due to only one metal layer on a silicon substrate,
the fabrication is relatively easy. In order to optimize the LEKIDs for this
application, we have recently probed a wide variety of individual resonator and
array parameters through simulation and physical testing. This included
determining the optimal feed-line coupling, pixel geometry, resonator
distribution within an array (in order to minimize pixel cross-talk), and
resonator frequency spacing. Based on these results, a 144-pixel Aluminum array
was fabricated and tested in a dilution fridge with optical access, yielding an
average optical NEP of ~2E-16 W/Hz^1/2 (best pixels showed NEP = 6E-17 W/Hz^1/2
under 4-8 pW loading per pixel). In October 2010 the second prototype of LEKIDs
has been tested at the IRAM 30 m telescope. A new LEKID geometry for 2
polarizations will be presented. Also first optical measurements of a titanium
nitride array will be discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 12 figures; ISSTT 2011 Worksho
What is in a pebble shape?
We propose to characterize the shapes of flat pebbles in terms of the
statistical distribution of curvatures measured along the pebble contour. This
is demonstrated for the erosion of clay pebbles in a controlled laboratory
apparatus. Photographs at various stages of erosion are analyzed, and compared
with two models. We find that the curvature distribution complements the usual
measurement of aspect ratio, and connects naturally to erosion processes that
are typically faster at protruding regions of high curvature.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett. (to appear
The shape and erosion of pebbles
The shapes of flat pebbles may be characterized in terms of the statistical
distribution of curvatures measured along their contours. We illustrate this
new method for clay pebbles eroded in a controlled laboratory apparatus, and
also for naturally-occurring rip-up clasts formed and eroded in the Mont
St.-Michel bay. We find that the curvature distribution allows finer
discrimination than traditional measures of aspect ratios. Furthermore, it
connects to the microscopic action of erosion processes that are typically
faster at protruding regions of high curvature. We discuss in detail how the
curvature may be reliable deduced from digital photographs.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figure
Nika2: A mm camera for cluster cosmology
Galaxy clusters constitute a major cosmological probe. However, Planck 2015 results have shown a weak tension between CMB-derived and cluster-derived cosmological parameters. This tension might be due to poor knowledge of the cluster mass and observable relationship. As for now, arcmin resolution Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) observations (e.g. SPT, ACT and Planck) only allowed detailed studies of the intra cluster medium for low redshift clusters (z 0:5) high resolution and high sensitivity SZ observations are needed. With both a wide field of view (6.5 arcmin) and a high angular resolution (17.7 and 11.2 arcsec at 150 and 260 GHz), the NIKA2 camera installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope (Pico Veleta, Spain) is particularly well adapted for these observations. The NIKA2 SZ observation program will map a large sample of clusters (50) at redshifts between 0.5 and 0.9. As a pilot study for NIKA2, several clusters of galaxies have been observed with the pathfinder, NIKA, at the IRAM 30-m telescope to cover the various configurations and observation conditions expected for NIKA2
NIKA2: a mm camera for cluster cosmology
Galaxy clusters constitute a major cosmological probe. However, Planck 2015
results have shown a weak tension between CMB-derived and cluster-derived
cosmological parameters. This tension might be due to poor knowledge of the
cluster mass and observable relationship.
As for now, arcmin resolution Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) observations ({\it e.g.}
SPT, ACT and Planck) only allowed detailed studies of the intra cluster medium
for low redshift clusters () high
resolution and high sensitivity SZ observations are needed. With both a wide
field of view (6.5 arcmin) and a high angular resolution (17.7 and 11.2 arcsec
at 150 and 260 GHz), the NIKA2 camera installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope
(Pico Veleta, Spain) is particularly well adapted for these observations. The
NIKA2 SZ observation program will map a large sample of clusters (50) at
redshifts between 0.5 and 0.9. As a pilot study for NIKA2, several clusters of
galaxies have been observed with the pathfinder, NIKA, at the IRAM 30-m
telescope to cover the various configurations and observation conditions
expected for NIKA2.
Mapping the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect toward MACS J0717.5+3745 with NIKA
Measurement of the gas velocity distribution in galaxy clusters provides
insight into the physics of mergers, through which large scale structures form
in the Universe. Velocity estimates within the intracluster medium (ICM) can be
obtained via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect, but its observation is
challenging both in term of sensitivity requirement and control of systematic
effects, including the removal of contaminants. In this paper we report
resolved observations, at 150 and 260 GHz, of the SZ effect toward the triple
merger MACS J0717.5+3745 (z=0.55), using data obtained with the NIKA camera at
the IRAM 30m telescope. Assuming that the SZ signal is the sum of a thermal
(tSZ) and a kinetic (kSZ) component and by combining the two NIKA bands, we
extract for the first time a resolved map of the kSZ signal in a cluster. The
kSZ signal is dominated by a dipolar structure that peaks at -5.1 and +3.4
sigma, corresponding to two subclusters moving respectively away and toward us
and coincident with the cold dense X-ray core and a hot region undergoing a
major merging event. We model the gas electron density and line-of-sight
velocity of MACS J0717.5+3745 as four subclusters. Combining NIKA data with
X-ray observations from XMM-Newton and Chandra, we fit this model to constrain
the gas line-of-sight velocity of each component, and we also derive, for the
first time, a velocity map from kSZ data (i.e. that is model-dependent). Our
results are consistent with previous constraints on the merger velocities, and
thanks to the high angular resolution of our data, we are able to resolve the
structure of the gas velocity. Finally, we investigate possible contamination
and systematic effects with a special care given to radio and submillimeter
galaxies. Among the sources that we detect with NIKA, we find one which is
likely to be a high redshift lensed submillimeter galaxy.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, accepted in A&
The NIKA2 large-field-of-view millimetre continuum camera for the 30 m IRAM telescope
Context. Millimetre-wave continuum astronomy is today an indispensable tool for both general astrophysics studies (e.g. star formation, nearby galaxies) and cosmology (e.g. cosmic microwave background and high-redshift galaxies). General purpose, large-field-of-view instruments are needed to map the sky at intermediate angular scales not accessible by the high-resolution interferometers (e.g. ALMA in Chile, NOEMA in the French Alps) and by the coarse angular resolution space-borne or ground-based surveys (e.g. Planck, ACT, SPT). These instruments have to be installed at the focal plane of the largest single-dish telescopes, which are placed at high altitude on selected dry observing sites. In this context, we have constructed and deployed a three-thousand-pixel dual-band (150âGHz andâ260 GHz, respectively 2âmm and 1.15âmm wavelengths) camera to image an instantaneous circular field-of-view of 6.5âarcmin in diameter, and configurable to map the linear polarisation at 260âGHz.
Aims. First, we are providing a detailed description of this instrument, named NIKA2 (New IRAM KID Arrays 2), in particular focussing on the cryogenics, optics, focal plane arrays based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors, and the readout electronics. The focal planes and part of the optics are cooled down to the nominal 150âmK operating temperature by means of an adhoc dilution refrigerator. Secondly, we are presenting the performance measured on the sky during the commissioning runs that took place between October 2015 and April 2017 at the 30-m IRAM telescope at Pico Veleta, near Granada (Spain).
Methods. We have targeted a number of astronomical sources. Starting from beam-maps on primary and secondary calibrators we have then gone to extended sources and faint objects. Both internal (electronic) and on-the-sky calibrations are applied. The general methods are described in the present paper.
Results. NIKA2 has been successfully deployed and commissioned, performing in-line with expectations. In particular, NIKA2 exhibits full width at half maximum angular resolutions of around 11 and 17.5 arcsec at respectively 260 and 150âGHz. The noise equivalent flux densities are, at these two respective frequencies, 33±2 and 8±1 mJy s1/2. A first successful science verification run was achieved in April 2017. The instrument is currently offered to the astronomy community and will remain available for at least the following ten years
NIKA2: a mm camera for cluster cosmology
Galaxy clusters constitute a major cosmological probe. However, Planck 2015 results have shown
a weak tension between CMB-derived and cluster-derived cosmological parameters. This tension
might be due to poor knowledge of the cluster mass and observable relationship. As for now,
arcmin resolution Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) observations (e.g. SPT, ACT and Planck) only allowed
detailed studies of the intra cluster medium for low redshift clusters (z < 0:2). For high redshift
clusters ( z > 0:5) high resolution and high sensitivity SZ observations are needed. With both
a wide field of view (6.5 arcmin) and a high angular resolution (17.7 and 11.2 arcsec at 150
and 260 GHz), the NIKA2 camera installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope (Pico Veleta, Spain) is
particularly well adapted for these observations. The NIKA2 SZ observation program will map a
large sample of clusters (50) at redshifts between 0.5 and 0.9. As a pilot study for NIKA2, several
clusters of galaxies have been observed with the pathfinder, NIKA, at the IRAM 30-m telescope
to cover the various configurations and observation conditions expected for NIKA2
Mapping the hot gas temperature in galaxy clusters using X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich imaging
We propose a method to map the temperature distribution of the hot gas in galaxy clusters that uses resolved images of the ther- mal Sunyaev-Zelâdovich (tSZ) effect in combination with X-ray data. Application to images from the New IRAM KIDs Array (NIKA) and XMM-Newton allows us to measure and determine the spatial distribution of the gas temperature in the merging cluster MACS J0717.5+3745, at z = 0.55. Despite the complexity of the target object, we find a good morphological agreement between the temperature maps derived from X-ray spectroscopy only â using XMM-Newton (TXMM) and Chandra (TCXO) â and the new gas-mass-weighted tSZ+X-ray imaging method (TSZX). We correlate the temperatures from tSZ+X-ray imaging and those from X-ray spectroscopy alone and find that TSZX is higher than TXMM and lower than TCXO by âŒ10% in both cases. Our results are limited by uncertainties in the geometry of the cluster gas, contamination from kinetic SZ (âŒ10%), and the absolute calibration of the tSZ map (7%). Investigation using a larger sample of clusters would help minimise these effects
Mapping the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect toward MACS J0717.5+3745 with NIKA
Measurement of the gas velocity distribution in galaxy clusters provides insight into the physics of mergers, through which large scale structures form in the Universe. Velocity estimates within the intracluster medium (ICM) can be obtained via the Sunyaev-Zelâdovich (SZ) effect, but its observation is challenging both in term of sensitivity requirement and control of systematic effects, including the removal of contaminants. In this paper we report resolved observations, at 150 and 260 GHz, of the SZ effect toward the triple merger MACS J0717.5+3745 (z = 0.55), using data obtained with the NIKA camera at the IRAM 30 m telescope. Assuming that the SZ signal is the sum of a thermal (tSZ) and a kinetic (kSZ) component and by combining the two NIKA bands, we extract for the first time a resolved map of the kSZ signal in a cluster. The kSZ signal is dominated by a dipolar structure that peaks at â5.1 and +3.4Ï, corresponding to two subclusters moving respectively away and toward us and coincident with the cold dense X-ray core and a hot region undergoing a major merging event. We model the gas electron density and line-of-sight velocity of MACS J0717.5+3745 as four subclusters. Combining NIKA data with X-ray observations from XMM-Newton and Chandra, we fit this model to constrain the gas line-of-sight velocity of each component, and we also derive, for the first time, a velocity map from kSZ data (i.e. that is model- dependent). Our results are consistent with previous constraints on the merger velocities, and thanks to the high angular resolution of our data, we are able to resolve the structure of the gas velocity. Finally, we investigate possible contamination and systematic effects with a special care given to radio and submillimeter galaxies. Among the sources that we detect with NIKA, we find one which is likely to be a high redshift lensed submillimeter galaxy
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