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Sal's Project Page - CAMP Summer 2007 |
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Intern: Gilberto Ponce, Physics
Mentor: Ishai Rubin
Faculty Supervisor: Phillip Lubin
Department: Astrophysics |
CREATING CORRUGATED HORNS TO MAP THE EARLY UNIVERSE
A highly spectacular scientific breakthrough in the past century was the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB), and the accurate measuring of its fluctuations. Methods for mapping this microwave radiation include ground based, balloon borne, or space flights projects. Our project is called the Cosmic Foreground Explorer (CoFE) It is a balloon borne telescope that uses mirrors to focus microwaves into receiving centimeter wavelength corrugated horns (antennas), which then send the signal to amplifiers, detectors and a computer that converts it to a digital signal. The purpose of the corrugated horns is to prevent the microwave radiation from coupling to the inside walls of the horns, thus minimizing loss of signal. A 10 GHZ microwave has a wavelength of 3 cm, thus in order to prevent coupling to the walls, the walls are corrugated with groove depths of about 0.75 cm. The method being used to machine these horns is an experimental method, using a CNC to machine aluminum stock into a series of rings that can be assembled in order to make a whole horn. This will reduce our weight significantly, and will allow for simpler more efficient manufacturing. By mapping the CMB we can have a better understanding of the early universe and test theories of the beginnings of our universe.
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