A Galaxy Cluster Survey Using the Sunyaev Zel’dovich Effect

Citation

Edgington, Samantha Faye (2004) A Galaxy Cluster Survey Using the Sunyaev Zel’dovich Effect. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/DVS1-3590. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09272003-154928

Abstract

This thesis describes the design and observations with the Bolocam instrument. Bolocam is a 144-element bolometer array designed to detect the Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect, used at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. Bolocam can be configured to observe at 1.1, 1.4, and 2.1 mm. We conducted a galaxy cluster survey at 2.1 mm, where clusters are detected as decrements against the Cosmic Microwave Background. The survey consisted of two blank fields, for a total of one square degree of coverage. We took advantage of the array configuration of the Bolocam focal plane to remove the atmospheric noise from the time stream before mapping the data. The sky noise removal left residual 1/f noise from the atmosphere in the data, and the resulting map sensitivity is limited by this noise. After filtering the maps to detect clusters with a FWHM of 2 arc minutes the RMS of the first map is 148.5 micro-Kelvin, and the second is 77.8 micro-Kelvin. The difference is due to a difference in integration time on the two maps. Bolocam detected 2 4-sigma decrements in the two filtered 1/2 x 1 degree maps. Bolocam also places an upper limit on the CMB angular power spectrum at l = 6000 of delta T < 49 micro-Kelvin.

Thesis Files