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[69.02] The Second Flight of the ARCADE Instrument

D. J. Fixsen (Goddard Spaceflight Center)

We report on the second flight of the ARCADE instrument. ARCADE (Absolute Radiometer for Cosmic And Diffuse Emission) is a balloon borne instrument to measure the absolute flux at 10 GHz and 30 GHz where it is dominated by the CMBR.

The ARCADE instrument floats to 115000 ft so the residual atmospheric emission is small. The front end including corrugated horn antennas, Dicke switches, comparison loads, and first stage amplification is cooled below 3 K and there is no window. The radiometers are calibrated with an external target which is also cooled to below 3 K. The target and radiometers are instrumented with thermometers which are precise to less than 1 mK.

Distortions of the CMBR spectrum at these wavelengths are sensitive indicators of early star formation and possible decay of relic particles.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.