5 research outputs found

    Variable-delay Polarization Modulators for Cryogenic Millimeter-wave Applications

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    We describe the design, construction, and initial validation of the variable-delay polarization modulator (VPM) designed for the PIPER cosmic microwave background polarimeter. The VPM modulates between linear and circular polarization by introducing a variable phase delay between orthogonal linear polarizations. Each VPM has a diameter of 39 cm and is engineered to operate in a cryogenic environment (1.5 K). We describe the mechanical design and performance of the kinematic double-blade flexure and drive mechanism along with the construction of the high precision wire grid polarizers.Comment: 8 pages, 10 Figures, Submitted to Review of Scientific Instrument

    The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER)

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    The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER) is a balloon-borne cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimeter designed to search for evidence of inflation by measuring the large-angular scale CMB polarization signal. BICEP2 recently reported a detection of B-mode power corresponding to the tensor-to-scalar ratio r = 0.2 on ~2 degree scales. If the BICEP2 signal is caused by inflationary gravitational waves (IGWs), then there should be a corresponding increase in B-mode power on angular scales larger than 18 degrees. PIPER is currently the only suborbital instrument capable of fully testing and extending the BICEP2 results by measuring the B-mode power spectrum on angular scales θ\theta = ~0.6 deg to 90 deg, covering both the reionization bump and recombination peak, with sensitivity to measure the tensor-to-scalar ratio down to r = 0.007, and four frequency bands to distinguish foregrounds. PIPER will accomplish this by mapping 85% of the sky in four frequency bands (200, 270, 350, 600 GHz) over a series of 8 conventional balloon flights from the northern and southern hemispheres. The instrument has background-limited sensitivity provided by fully cryogenic (1.5 K) optics focusing the sky signal onto four 32x40-pixel arrays of time-domain multiplexed Transition-Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers held at 140 mK. Polarization sensitivity and systematic control are provided by front-end Variable-delay Polarization Modulators (VPMs), which rapidly modulate only the polarized sky signal at 3 Hz and allow PIPER to instantaneously measure the full Stokes vector (I, Q, U, V) for each pointing. We describe the PIPER instrument and progress towards its first flight.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures. To be published in Proceedings of SPIE Volume 9153. Presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2014, conference 915

    The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER)

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    The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER) is a balloon-borne instrument to measure the gravitational wave signature of primordial inflation through its distinctive imprint on the polarization of the cosmic microwave background. PIPER combines cold (1.5 K) optics, 5120 bolometric detectors, and rapid polarization modulation using VPM grids to achieve both high sensitivity and excellent control of systematic errors. A series of flights alternating between northern and southern hemisphere launch sites will produce maps in Stokes I, Q, U, and V parameters at frequencies 200, 270, 350, and 600 GHz (wavelengths 1500, 1100, 850, and 500 μm) covering 85% of the sky. The high sky coverage allows measurement of the primordial B-mode signal in the `reionization bump" at multipole moments l < 10 where the primordial signal may best be distinguished from the cosmological lensing foreground. We describe the PIPER instrument and discuss the current status and expected science returns from the mission

    How does a simulated soccer match affect regional differences in biceps femoris muscle architecture?

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    Soccer is played by thousands of athletes across the globe and its participation increases the overall risk of injury, in particular, hamstring strain injuries (HSI). Biceps femoris (BF) has been shown to be involved the in 5 out of 6 HSI cases and risk factors including fatigue and short BF fascicle length (FL) have been identified. Furthermore, previous studies suggest that different muscle regions may undergo different strains during dynamic tasks, which could contribute to injury risk. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a soccer match on regional differences in the BF muscle architecture. A secondary aim was to assess the reliability of the extended field of view (EFOV) 2D ultrasound imaging to measure muscle architecture parameters. Muscle architecture was assessed, using ultrasound, in 9 amateur soccer players and 5 physically active men, before and after a 45 minutes soccer specific fatigue protocol (SAFT)or 20 mintues of rest, respectively. Significant muscle architecture changes were found after SAFT, however, these were smaller than the minimal detectable change associated with the scanning method. No correlations were found between force reductions and muscle architecture changes. Good reliability was found for FL measurements but poor reliability was found for pennation angle and muscle thickness. Muscle architecture changes after 45 minutes of a football match may not be a mechanism to explain the increased HSI rates. Furthermore, when using EFOV ultrasound, care must be taken when interpreting statistically significant results, since these can be below the minimal detectable change or not reliable for all the parameters
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