Observing the Polarized CMB with SPIDER

Alexandra Rahlin (University of Chicago)

February 25, 2016

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Abstract: SPIDER is a balloon-borne polarimeter designed to study the degree-scale polarization of the cosmic microwave background. The instrument flew successfully from McMurdo Station, Antarctica in January 2015. Analysis of the data is currently underway, and a second mission is planned for the 2017-2018 season. I will discuss the design and integration of the instrument, and present some preliminary results from the first flight.