Talk:QUIET

Q/U: frequency or polarization?
The article currently says "QUIET stands for Q/U Imaging ExperimenT, where Q and U are two microwave bands used for measurements. While the U band was changed to the W band during the design, the acronym remains." Is this definitely correct (i.e. is there a reference for it)? Another interpretation of the name would be the Stokes parameters Q and U, which is what the experiment will observe (along with the total intensity, I assume). Thanks. Mike Peel (talk) 17:09, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
 * A very good point. Q and U as Stokes parameters makes more sense, especially since the Q and U bands overlap.   I got the information from one of the papers available on the QUIET web site, but I might have mis-interpreted it. LouScheffer (talk) 18:40, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I re-read the original source documents, and I see no explanation, so I'm afraid I supplied my own interpretation. Everywhere else Q/U is used, it refers to the Stokes parameters.  So I'll take the explanation of the acronym out.  Perhaps an email to one of the PIs can confirm the Stokes interpretation.   LouScheffer (talk) 19:03, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
 * One of the paper authors, Keith Vanderlinde [kvand@uchicago.edu], confirms that the Q/U stands for the Stokes parameters, not the microwave bands.  LouScheffer (talk) 03:46, 29 May 2008 (UTC)