CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION

The EDGES High-Band experiment aims to detect the sky-average brightness temperature of the 21 cm signal from the epoch of reionization in the redshift range 14.8≳ z ≳ 6.5.To probe this redshifted signal, EDGES High-Band conducts single-antenna measurements in the frequency range 90–190 MHz from the...

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Main Authors: Monsalve, Raul A., Bowman, Judd D., Mozdzen, Thomas J., Rogers, Alan E E
Other Authors: Haystack Observatory
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: IOP Publishing 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109806
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1941-7458
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author Monsalve, Raul A.
Bowman, Judd D.
Mozdzen, Thomas J.
Rogers, Alan E E
author2 Haystack Observatory
author_facet Haystack Observatory
Monsalve, Raul A.
Bowman, Judd D.
Mozdzen, Thomas J.
Rogers, Alan E E
author_sort Monsalve, Raul A.
collection MIT
description The EDGES High-Band experiment aims to detect the sky-average brightness temperature of the 21 cm signal from the epoch of reionization in the redshift range 14.8≳ z ≳ 6.5.To probe this redshifted signal, EDGES High-Band conducts single-antenna measurements in the frequency range 90–190 MHz from the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. In this paper, we describe the current strategy for calibration of the EDGES High-Band receiver and report calibration results for the instrument used in the 2015–2016 observational campaign. We propagate uncertainties in the receiver calibration measurements to the antenna temperature using a Monte Carlo approach. We define a performance objective of 1 mK residual rms after modeling foreground subtraction from a fiducial temperature spectrum using a five-term polynomial. Most of the calibration uncertainties yield residuals of 1 mK or less at 95 % confidence. However, current uncertainties in the antenna and receiver reflection coefficients can lead to residuals of up to 20 mK even in low-foreground sky regions. These dominant residuals could be reduced by (1) improving the accuracy in reflection measurements, especially their phase, (2) improving the impedance match at the antenna-receiver interface, and (3) decreasing the changes with frequency of the antenna reflection phase.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1098062022-09-28T07:54:45Z CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION Monsalve, Raul A. Bowman, Judd D. Mozdzen, Thomas J. Rogers, Alan E E Haystack Observatory Rogers, Alan E E The EDGES High-Band experiment aims to detect the sky-average brightness temperature of the 21 cm signal from the epoch of reionization in the redshift range 14.8≳ z ≳ 6.5.To probe this redshifted signal, EDGES High-Band conducts single-antenna measurements in the frequency range 90–190 MHz from the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. In this paper, we describe the current strategy for calibration of the EDGES High-Band receiver and report calibration results for the instrument used in the 2015–2016 observational campaign. We propagate uncertainties in the receiver calibration measurements to the antenna temperature using a Monte Carlo approach. We define a performance objective of 1 mK residual rms after modeling foreground subtraction from a fiducial temperature spectrum using a five-term polynomial. Most of the calibration uncertainties yield residuals of 1 mK or less at 95 % confidence. However, current uncertainties in the antenna and receiver reflection coefficients can lead to residuals of up to 20 mK even in low-foreground sky regions. These dominant residuals could be reduced by (1) improving the accuracy in reflection measurements, especially their phase, (2) improving the impedance match at the antenna-receiver interface, and (3) decreasing the changes with frequency of the antenna reflection phase. National Science Foundation (U.S.) (AST-0905990) National Science Foundation (U.S.) (AST-1207761) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNA09DB30A) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX12AI17G) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX16AF59G) 2017-06-13T12:58:17Z 2017-06-13T12:58:17Z 2017-01 2016-12 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1538-4357 0004-637X http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109806 Monsalve, Raul A.; Rogers, Alan E. E.; Bowman, Judd D. and Mozdzen, Thomas J. “CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 Cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION.” The Astrophysical Journal 835, no. 1 (January 2017): 49. © 2017 The American Astronomical Society https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1941-7458 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/835/1/49 Astrophysical Journal Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf IOP Publishing IOP Publishing
spellingShingle Monsalve, Raul A.
Bowman, Judd D.
Mozdzen, Thomas J.
Rogers, Alan E E
CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title_full CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title_fullStr CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title_full_unstemmed CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title_short CALIBRATION OF THE EDGES HIGH-BAND RECEIVER TO OBSERVE THE GLOBAL 21 cm SIGNATURE FROM THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION
title_sort calibration of the edges high band receiver to observe the global 21 cm signature from the epoch of reionization
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109806
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1941-7458
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