We present constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio
r
using
Planck
data. We use the latest release of
Planck
maps, processed with the
NPIPE
code, which produces calibrated frequency maps in ...temperature and polarisation for all
Planck
channels from 30 GHz to 857 GHz using the same pipeline. We computed constraints on
r
using the
BB
angular power spectrum, and we also discuss constraints coming from the
TT
spectrum. Given
Planck
’s noise level, the
TT
spectrum gives constraints on
r
that are cosmic-variance limited (with
σ
r
= 0.093), but we show that the marginalised posterior peaks towards negative values of
r
at about the 1.2
σ
level. We derived
Planck
constraints using the
BB
power spectrum at both large angular scales (the ‘reionisation bump’) and intermediate angular scales (the ‘recombination bump’) from
ℓ
= 2 to 150 and find a stronger constraint than that from
TT
, with
σ
r
= 0.069. The
Planck
BB
spectrum shows no systematic bias and is compatible with zero, given both the statistical noise and the systematic uncertainties. The likelihood analysis using
B
modes yields the constraint
r
< 0.158 at 95% confidence using more than 50% of the sky. This upper limit tightens to
r
< 0.069 when
Planck
EE
,
BB
, and
EB
power spectra are combined consistently, and it tightens further to
r
< 0.056 when the
Planck
TT
power spectrum is included in the combination. Finally, combining
Planck
with BICEP2/Keck 2015 data yields an upper limit of
r
< 0.044.
We present constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r using a combination of BICEP/Keck 2018 (BK18) and Planck PR4 data allowing us to fit for r consistently with the six parameters of the ΛCDM ...model. We discuss the sensitivity of constraints on r to uncertainties in the ΛCDM parameters as defined by the Planck data. In particular, we are able to derive a constraint on the reionization optical depth τ and thus propagate its uncertainty into the posterior distribution for r. While Planck sensitivity to r is slightly lower than the current ground-based measurements, the combination of Planck with BK18 and baryon-acoustic-oscillation data yields results consistent with r=0 and tightens the constraint to r<0.032 at 95% confidence.
MADmap is a software application used to produce maximum likelihood images of the sky from time-ordered data which include correlated noise, such as those gathered by cosmic microwave background ...(CMB) experiments. It works efficiently on platforms ranging from small workstations to the most massively parallel supercomputers. Map-making is a critical step in the analysis of all CMB data sets, and the maximum likelihood approach is the most accurate and widely applicable algorithm; however, it is a computationally challenging task. This challenge will only increase with the next generation of ground-based, balloon-borne, and satellite CMB polarization experiments. The faintness of the B-mode signal that these experiments seek to measure requires them to gather enormous data sets. MADmap is already being run on up to O(1011) time samples, O(108) pixels, and O(104) cores, with ongoing work to scale to the next generation of data sets and supercomputers. We describe MADmap's algorithm based around a preconditioned conjugate gradient solver, fast Fourier transforms, and sparse matrix operations. We highlight MADmap's ability to address problems typically encountered in the analysis of realistic CMB data sets and describe its application to simulations of the Planck and EBEX experiments. The massively parallel and distributed implementation is detailed and scaling complexities are given for the resources required. MADmap is capable of analyzing the largest data sets now being collected on computing resources currently available, and we argue that, given Moore's Law, MADmap will be capable of reducing the most massive projected data sets.
ABSTRACT Atmosphere is one of the most important noise sources for ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. By increasing optical loading on the detectors, it amplifies their ...effective noise, while its fluctuations introduce spatial and temporal correlations between detected signals. We present a physically motivated 3D-model of the atmosphere total intensity emission in the millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths. We derive a new analytical estimate for the correlation between detectors time-ordered data as a function of the instrument and survey design, as well as several atmospheric parameters such as wind, relative humidity, temperature and turbulence characteristics. Using an original numerical computation, we examine the effect of each physical parameter on the correlations in the time series of a given experiment. We then use a parametric-likelihood approach to validate the modeling and estimate atmosphere parameters from the polarbear-i project first season data set. We derive a new 1.0% upper limit on the linear polarization fraction of atmospheric emission. We also compare our results to previous studies and weather station measurements. The proposed model can be used for realistic simulations of future ground-based CMB observations.
Aims.We discuss instrumental and analytic methods that have been developed for the first generation of bolometric cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimeters. The design, characterization, and ...analysis of data obtained using Polarization Sensitive Bolometers (PSBs) are described in detail. This is followed by a brief study of the effect of various polarization modulation techniques on the recovery of sky polarization from scanning polarimeter data. Methods.Having been successfully implemented on the sub-orbital BOOMERANG experiment, PSBs are currently operational in two terrestrial CMB polarization experiments (QUaD and the Robinson Telescope). We investigate two approaches to the analysis of data from these experiments, using realistic simulations of time ordered data to illustrate the impact of instrumental effects on the fidelity of the recovered polarization signal. Results.We find that the analysis of difference time streams takes full advantage of the high degree of common mode rejection afforded by the PSB design. In addition to the observational efforts currently underway, this discussion is directly applicable to the PSBs that constitute the polarized capability of the Planck HFI instrument.
We report on observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) obtained during the 2003 January flight of BOOMERANG. These results are derived from 195 hr of observation with four 145 GHz ...polarization-sensitive bolometer (PSB) pairs, identical in design to the four 143 GHz Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) polarized pixels. The data include 75 hr of observations distributed over 1.84% of the sky with an additional 120 hr concentrated on the central portion of the field, which represents 0.22% of the full sky. From these data we derive an estimate of the angular power spectrum of temperature fluctuations of the CMB in 24 bands over the multipole range 50 ,l,1500. A series of features, consistent with those expected from acoustic oscillations in the primordial photon-baryon fluid, are clearly evident in the power spectrum, as is the exponential damping of power on scales smaller than the photon mean free path at the epoch of last scattering (l 900). As a consistency check, the collaboration has performed two fully independent analyses of the time-ordered data, which are found to be in excellent agreement.
We present the cosmological parameters from the CMB intensity and polarization power spectra of the 2003 Antarctic flight of the BOOMERANG telescope. The BOOMERANG data alone constrain the parameters ...of the CDM model remarkably well and are consistent with constraints from a multiexperiment combined CMB data set. We add LSS data from the 2dF and SDSS redshift surveys to the combined CMB data set and test several extensions to the standard model including running of the spectral index, curvature, tensor modes, the effect of massive neutrinos, and an effective equation of state for dark energy. We also include an analysis of constraints to a model that allows a CDM isocurvature admixture.
We present a measurement of the polarization-temperature angular cross power spectra, < TE > and < TB >, of the cosmic microwave background. The result is based on 6200 hr of data from eight ...polarization-sensitive bolometers operating at 145 GHz during the 2003 flight of BOOMERANG. We detect a significant < TE > correlation in the l-range between 50 and 950 with a statistical significance of >3.5 s. Contamination by polarized foreground emission and systematic effects are negligible in comparison with statistical uncertainties. The spectrum is consistent with previous detections and with the "concordance model" that assumes adiabatic initial conditions. This is the first measurement of polarization-temperature angular cross-power spectra using bolometric detectors.