Antarctic Long-Duration Balloon-Borne Observations of the Anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background on Angular Scales of 0.2 to 4 Degrees

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Abstract 9729121 Lange The angular intensity distribution on the sky of the cosmic microwave background radiation carries a wealth of information about the early Universe since this radiation started on its journey to us just a few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang. The details of the distribution on angular scales from a few degrees to a few minutes can cleanly discriminate between competing models of the dark matter which makes up most of the gravitationally attracting mass of the Universe. This balloon borne microwave telescope - called BOOMERANG - will measure variations on a scale from 12minutes to 3.6 degrees. BOOMERANG has already been flown for a short flight in the US and will be flown on a long-duration balloon from McMurdo Antarctica in December of 1998 with an expectation of getting up to two weeks of continuous data. The funds necessary to build the balloon payload have been provided by NASA, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences and Italy. This award will provide some funds for the Antarctic flight and some of the data analysis. The balloon will be provided and launched by NASA while logistical support an payload recovery will be supplied by NSF. ***