On the detection of spectral ripples from the Recombination Epoch
  Photons emitted during the epochs of Hydrogen ($500 \lesssim z \lesssim
1600$) and Helium recombination ($1600 \lesssim z \lesssim 3500$ for HeII
$\rightarrow$ HeI, $5000 \lesssim z \lesssim 8000$ for HeIII $\rightarrow$
HeII) are predicted to appear as broad, weak spectral distortions of the Cosmic
Microwave Background. We present a feasibility study for a ground-based
experimental detection of these recombination lines, which would provide an
observational constraint on the thermal ionization history of the Universe,
uniquely probing astrophysical cosmology beyond the last scattering surface. We
find that an octave band in the 2--6 GHz window is optimal for such an
experiment, both maximizing signal-to-noise ratio and including sufficient line
spectral structure. At these frequencies the predicted signal appears as an
additive quasi-sinusoidal component with amplitude about $8$ nK that is
embedded in a sky spectrum some nine orders of magnitude brighter. We discuss
an algorithm to detect these tiny spectral fluctuations in the sky spectrum by
foreground modeling. We introduce a \textit{Maximally Smooth} function capable
of describing the foreground spectrum and distinguishing the signal of
interest. With Bayesian statistical tests and mock data we estimate that a
detection of the predicted distortions is possible with 90\% confidence by
observing for 255 days with an array of 128 radiometers using cryogenically
cooled state-of-the-art receivers. We conclude that detection is in principle
feasible in realistic observing times; we propose APSERa---Array of Precision
Spectrometers for the Epoch of Recombination---a dedicated radio telescope to
detect these recombination lines.
