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The main interferometric experiment at Teide Observatory was the Very
Small Array (VSA), operational between 2000 and 2008. It was a joint project
of the Cavendish Laboratory (University of Cambridge), Jodrell Bank
Observatory (University of Manchester), and the Instituto de Astrofísica de
Canarias. It comprised fourteen 30-cm antennas, each observing at a frequency of 33 GHz. The receivers used high electron mobility transistors cryogenically cooled to 15 K (−258 °C).
The VSA’s objective was to study the structure of the CMB at angular scales
from 10 minutes of arc to 2 degrees. It also carried out many observations of
the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect, which is the inverse Compton interaction
between photons from the CMB with the electrons in the plasma in clusters
of galaxies.
As usual, we proceeded by acquiring experience in the development of
radio-astronomical instrumentation and data analysis techniques that permitted the participation of Spanish scientists and technicians, and firms from
our country in international astrophysical projects, both ground- and spacebased. I dedicate the next chapter to the development of space astronomy
in Spain.
The culmination of the IAC’s efforts in radio astronomy has been the
QUIJOTE-CMB (Q-U-I JOint TEnerife CMB) experiment, whose scientific purpose is the characterization of the polarization of the CMB and
other Galactic and extragalactic emission processes on large scales in the
frequency range 10–40 GHz, the ultimate aim of the experiment being to
find and constrain evidence of B-mode polarization, and hence of the generation of gravitational waves from the Big Bang. The polarization measurements of QUIJOTE will complement at low frequencies and help better
correct for Galactic contamination observations obtained by the Planck
satellite.
The two now operational telescopes of QUIJOTE are located at Teide
Observatory. The IAC is leading the project, with the participation of the
Physics Institute of Cantabria (Santander), the Department of
Communications Engineering (Santander), the University of Manchester,
the University of Cambridge, and the engineering firm IDOM (Bilbao).
The optical system of the experiment consists of two antennas in an optimal configuration to carry out measurements of the polarization of radiation.
Each antenna has a 2.25-m primary and a 1.9-m secondary. In the first phase
of the experiment the first antenna used two instruments, the first performing
simultaneous observations at four frequencies (11.2, 12.9, 16.7, and
18.7 GHz). The second instrument is equipped with 31 polarimeters operating at 30 GHz.
17 Astronomical Instrumentation, Technology Transfer…
The main interferometric experiment at Teide Observatory was the Very
Small Array (VSA), operational between 2000 and 2008. It was a joint project
of the Cavendish Laboratory (University of Cambridge), Jodrell Bank
Observatory (University of Manchester), and the Instituto de Astrofísica de
Canarias. It comprised fourteen 30-cm antennas, each observing at a frequency of 33 GHz. The receivers used high electron mobility transistors cryogenically cooled to 15 K (−258 °C).
The VSA’s objective was to study the structure of the CMB at angular scales
from 10 minutes of arc to 2 degrees. It also carried out many observations of
the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect, which is the inverse Compton interaction
between photons from the CMB with the electrons in the plasma in clusters
of galaxies.
As usual, we proceeded by acquiring experience in the development of
radio-astronomical instrumentation and data analysis techniques that permitted the participation of Spanish scientists and technicians, and firms from
our country in international astrophysical projects, both ground- and spacebased. I dedicate the next chapter to the development of space astronomy
in Spain.
The culmination of the IAC’s efforts in radio astronomy has been the
QUIJOTE-CMB (Q-U-I JOint TEnerife CMB) experiment, whose scientific purpose is the characterization of the polarization of the CMB and
other Galactic and extragalactic emission processes on large scales in the
frequency range 10–40 GHz, the ultimate aim of the experiment being to
find and constrain evidence of B-mode polarization, and hence of the generation of gravitational waves from the Big Bang. The polarization measurements of QUIJOTE will complement at low frequencies and help better
correct for Galactic contamination observations obtained by the Planck
satellite.
The two now operational telescopes of QUIJOTE are located at Teide
Observatory. The IAC is leading the project, with the participation of the
Physics Institute of Cantabria (Santander), the Department of
Communications Engineering (Santander), the University of Manchester,
the University of Cambridge, and the engineering firm IDOM (Bilbao).
The optical system of the experiment consists of two antennas in an optimal configuration to carry out measurements of the polarization of radiation.
Each antenna has a 2.25-m primary and a 1.9-m secondary. In the first phase
of the experiment the first antenna used two instruments, the first performing
simultaneous observations at four frequencies (11.2, 12.9, 16.7, and
18.7 GHz). The second instrument is equipped with 31 polarimeters operating at 30 GHz.
17 Astronomical Instrumentation, Technology Transfer…