Use this URL to cite or link to this record in EThOS: | https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.545406 |
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Title: | Blind and pointed Sunyaev-Zel'dovich observations with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager | ||||||
Author: | Shimwell, Timothy William |
ISNI:
0000 0004 2712 3668
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Awarding Body: | University of Cambridge | ||||||
Current Institution: | University of Cambridge | ||||||
Date of Award: | 2011 | ||||||
Availability of Full Text: |
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Abstract: | |||||||
In this thesis I discuss my work on the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI). I focus on the detection of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signatures at 14-18GHz. Once the background science and operation of the instrument are described I proceed to present my contribution to the calibration of AMI, including: primary beam measurements; refinements to the known antenna geometry and flagging geostationary satellite interference. This is followed by an outline of the software that I have developed to subtract sources from visibilities, concatenate data from multiple observations, simulate data, and perform jack-knife tests to evaluate the magnitude of systematic errors. The Bayesian analysis that I use to obtain parameter estimates and to quantify the significance of putative SZ detections is described. I perform realistic simulations of clusters and use these to characterisethe analysis. I then, for the first time, apply the analysis to data from the AMI blind cluster survey. I identify several previously unknownSZ decrements. Finally, I conduct pointed observations towards a high luminosity subsample of eight clusters from the Local Cluster Substructure Survey(LoCuSS). For each of these I provide probability distributions of parameters such as mass, radius, and temperature. I compare myresults to those in the literature and find an overall agreement.
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Supervisor: | Grainge, Keith | Sponsor: | Not available | ||||
Qualification Name: | Thesis (Ph.D.) | Qualification Level: | Doctoral | ||||
EThOS ID: | uk.bl.ethos.545406 | DOI: | |||||
Keywords: | Observationjal cosmology ; Interferometry | ||||||
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