The paper presents a theoretical work on the dynamics of Coulomb explosion for spherical nanoplasmas composed by two different ion species. Particular attention has been dedicated to study the energy spectra of the ions with the larger charge-to-mass ratio. The connection between the formation of shock shells and the energy spread of the ions has been the object of a detailed analysis, showing that under particular conditions the width of the asymptotic energy spectrum tends to become very narrow, which leads to a multi-valued ion phase space. The conditions to generate a quasi-monoenergetic ion spectrum have been rigorously demonstrated and verified by numerical simulations using a technique that, exploiting the spherical symmetry of the problem, allows one to obtain very accurate and precise results.

Detection of linear polarisation at a level of 1 ppm or less, associated to the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background, will confirm the cosmological origin of the observed anisotropy and provide information on the thermal history of the universe between the recombination epoch and now. In particular, detection of polarisation can help in deciding if the evolution of the universe included a reionisation epoch. We present the Mk3 model of our correlation polarimeter, an improved version of a system which has already been used for observations of the region of sky around the South Celestial Pole from Antarctica (in 1994 at Terra Nova Bay and in 1998 at Dome C).

A progress report of the MASTER project is presented here. MASTER is a system of three heterodyne receivers based on SIS (superconductor–insulator–superconductor) tunnel junction mixers. In our instrument these mixers will allow direct down-conversion from 94, 225, and 345 to 1.5 GHz, the IF where the signal will be detected. This instrument, coupled to a 2–4 m telescope like the one proposed for the DOME C base in Antarctica and in conjunction with an Acusto Optical Spectrometer, can be used to detect emission lines associated with molecular clouds in the interstellar medium. The current status of a 94 GHz receiver, the prototype of MASTER, will be presented too. The study of the optical coupling between the receiver and MITO telescope in the Italian Alps will also be described.

We discuss the expected polarization of the Galactic foregrounds at the SPOrt experiment frequencies 22-90 GHz. We also consider the problem of foreground separation and perform an analysis to estimate their impact on the detection of a cosmological signal.

CMB studies from the Antarctic Plateau are presented.

The Milano Polarimeter (MiPol), a correlation system with phase modulation has been built for the studies of the CMB polarization at large angular scales. At present the system is at the Testa Grigia Observatory on the Italian Alps (3480 m asl). We are ready to bring it to Dome Concordia for observations during the Antarctic winter beginning in March 2006. We discuss the system performance, its sensitivity and the status of the searches for CMB polarization.

The goal of the Sky Polarisation Observatory (SPOrt) Program is the measurement of the sky linearly polarised emission in the 22-90 GHz frequency range from the International Space Station (2003-2004). The instrument configuration together with most relevant ground support activities are presented. In particular, the development of hardware solutions for high sensitive polarimetric measurements has been addressed by the SPOrt team to match the experiment requirements.

The BaR-SPOrt (Balloon-Borne Radiometers for Sky Polarization Observations) experiment, a program of the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) co-funded by PNRA (Progetto Nazionale di Ricerca in Antartide) was originally designed as a payload for long duration balloons flights. The changing scenario, both scientific and strategic, has led us to propose it for the starting winter campaign of at the Concordia Base. Here the instrument and the features making it suitable to operate at Dome-C are described. After the initial setup, BaR-SPOrt should not require any kind of routine intervention by a dedicated base staff. The experiment will just need electrical power (less than 2 kW) and a suitable accommodation on the field. It can be fully monitored and controlled, including the data acquisition, through its own telemetry/telecommand link using IRIDIUM modems. Both the receiver and the critical electronics are housed inside a temperature-controlled vacuum chamber, providing the properly stabilized environment. The cold part of the radiometer employs a closed loop mechanical cryo-cooler that provides temperatures <70 ± 0.1 K with low power consumption (<200 W).

We present results of measurements of the spectral index of the Galactic Diffuse emission (GDE), an information essential to evaluate the contamination of measured properties of the CMB by foregrounds.

A radiometer based on SIS mixers for astrophysical observations is being assembled. The system, cooled to cryogenic temperature by a pulse tube refrigerator, is intended for operation on the Antartic Plateau during the local winter, using the mm dishes available there in the future. The system prototype will be tested at the focus of the 2.6 m MITO telescope at the Testa Grigia Observatory on the italian Alps. We discuss the system characteristics and the observational programs.

A gamma-ray telescope with a 850 cm2 multiplate spark chamber as a detector, has been used in an experiment of six balloon flights to investigate the Crab Nebula Pulsar 0532. The triggering signal is provided by a plastic scintillator-directional Čerenkov counter system. The spark chamber events are photographed by a stereo camera. The time of arrival of each event is recorded in UTC time with one millisecond accuracy, to search for a possible pulsed gamma emission from NP0532 above 50 MeV.

The ESRO satellite COS-B carries one single experiment aiming at the measurement of arrival direction and energy of celestial gamma rays with energies between 25 MeV and 10 GeV. The experiment is conventional in design and consists of a veto counter, a wire spark chamber, a telescope and an energy calorimeter.

The energy measurement is obtained by a CsI scintillation crystal of 4.7 radiation length thickness. The expected energy resolution at 100 MeV is 50% FWHM. The other detector elements are designed as to cause the least possible degradation of the energy measurement.

The possibilities for the detection of a small contribution of π -origin gamma rays in the presence of a power-law type background spectrum will be discussed.