University  of Toronto
Analysis  of Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Data from the Second Flight of the  SPIDER Balloon-borne Telescope — PI: Dr. John Richard Bond. Exploring the nature of  the universe at its earliest times is one of the most exciting scientific goals  in cosmology today. SPIDER is a polarimeter designed to test our most  fundamental theories of the beginning of the universe by measuring or  constraining the amplitude of primordial gravitational waves. SPIDER is a set of six telescopes that observe  the oldest light we can see, the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. The  second stratospheric balloon flight of SPIDER will take place as part of this  project, to observe the Cosmic Microwave Background polarization at three  wavelengths. It will be able to produce very high-sensitivity  dust maps, allowing for much better removal of foreground dust and better  imaging. An efficient suite of software tools will also be developed in order  to analyze the raw data from the balloon payload. The data will allow for the  testing of fundamental cosmology theories.