2005-06 Summer Photos - DSL/BICEP

After years of sitting empty and incomplete...the Dark Sector Laboratory finally was to get its first science project...the BICEP submillimeter telescope. The project team was led by Caltech, UC Berkeley, and UCSD, with additional participation by institutions in France and the UK (list of collaborators). Briefly, the instrument was designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to unprecedented precision, and in turn answer crucial questions about the beginnings of the Universe (technical links are at the end of these pages). Anyway...before any of the science equipment had to be installed, there were some preliminaries...such as the punch list for conditional occupancy of the building, as well as some structural modifications for the project.

ceiling of DSL room 202
During the 2005 winter, upgrades and repairs to the DSL heating system were made...as well as clearing away the glycol piping, heaters, and electrical fixtures from upstairs northeast corner room where the telescope was to be installed. I took this photo in September.
hole in the ceiling for the telescope mount
Next, we cut the rough hole for the telescope mount.
telescope mounting platform
Meanwhile, the raised telescope platform was constructed under the hole.
installing the mounting plate
Conditional occupancy (allowing the science team to get to work) didn't happen until 20 November, after some of the exterior platform work was completed and additional electrical and mechanical was installed that we didn't have during the winter. Anyway, one of the first things to happen was the installation of the heavy (1300 lb) steel base plate. Here underneath is Yuki Takahashi (YT).
installing the telescope base plate
Here comes the base plate (YT).
 electrician working in the BICEP room


The plate is in place on the pedestal...but not quite, as electrician Phil does a bit more wiring (CC).
BICEP telescope mount outside of DSL
Some of the BICEP cargo being staged outside of DSL (YT).
BICEP moving the cryostat crate
Moving the cryostat crate inside (YT).
unpacking the cryostat crate


Unpacking the cryostat crate (CC).		 the telescope insert


The telescope insert, the heart of the instrument (YT) (APL).
top view of the focal plane

The focal plane on top of the insert--what Cynthia called "a CMB photon's view of the focal plane" (CC).
optics section mounted atop the telescope insert
A bit later, the refractive optics was bolted to the top if the focal plane (YT) (APL).
lifting the telescope mount into the building
30 November 2005, the telescope mount was lifted into the building (YT) (APL).
 lifting the telescope mount


A view from the east end of the building (JK) (APL).
lifting the telescope mount into the building
Getting closer...(YT) (APL).
lifting the telescope mount into the building
...almost there...(YT) (APL).
lowering the mount through the roof opening


Lowering the mount through the roof opening (CC).
lowering the mount and positioning the feet
Lowering the mount and positioning the feet (CC).
the mount is in place
And the placement is complete! (KWY).
BICEP team photo
Time for the hero shots! From L to R: Pete Mason ('51 BS Ph, '52 MS ME, '62 PhD EE), CalTech visiting physics associate; Ki Won Yoon, Caltech graduate student; John Kovac, Caltech postdoc, Cynthia Chiang, Caltech grad student; and Yuki Takahashi ('01 BS Ph). On the telescope in the background, Evan Bierman, graduate student at UC San Diego (CC).
RPSC supervisors
And a couple more folks...B.K. Grant, SP area director, with FEMC manager Carlton Walker (JK) (APL).
 getting ready to finish unpacking the cryostat


Among other remaining tasks...finishing the unpacking of the cryostat (CC).

Lots more to do yet! Continue on to the next page (which also includes the photo credits)...


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