NIKA 2: next-generation continuum/polarized camera at the IRAM 30 m telescope and its prototype

TL;DR

NIKA 2 is a state-of-the-art dual-band, polarized camera installed at the IRAM 30 m telescope, enabling high-resolution imaging and polarization measurements crucial for studying magnetic fields in star formation.

Contribution

This paper introduces NIKA 2, a next-generation continuum and polarized instrument with advanced detectors and imaging capabilities, building upon and validating the prototype NIKA.

Findings

Successful installation and operation of NIKA 2 at IRAM 30 m telescope.

Validation of NIKA 2's polarization measurement performance using the NIKA prototype.

High-resolution dual-band imaging with polarization capability achieved.

Abstract

NIKA 2 (New Instrument of Kids Array) is a next generation continuum and polarized instrument successfully installed in October 2015 at the IRAM 30 m telescope on Pico-Veleta (Granada, Spain). NIKA 2 is a high resolution dual-band camera, operating with frequency multiplexed LEKIDs (Lumped Element Kinetic Inductance Detectors) cooled at 100 mK. Dual color images are obtained thanks to the simultaneous readout of a 1020 pixels array at 2 mm and 1140 x 2 pixels arrays at 1.15 mm with a final resolution of 18 and 12 arcsec respectively, and 6.5 arcmin of Field of View (FoV). The two arrays at 1.15 mm allow us to measure the linear polarization of the incoming light. This will place NIKA 2 as an instrument of choice to study the role of magnetic fields in the star formation process. The NIKA experiment, a prototype for NIKA 2 with a reduced number of detectors (about 400 LEKIDs) and FoV (1.8 arcmin), has been successfully operated at the IRAM 30 telescope in several open observational campaigns. The performance of the NIKA 2 polarization setup has been successfully validated with the NIKA prototype.