50,570 research outputs found
Joint Bayesian component separation and CMB power spectrum estimation
We describe and implement an exact, flexible, and computationally efficient
algorithm for joint component separation and CMB power spectrum estimation,
building on a Gibbs sampling framework. Two essential new features are 1)
conditional sampling of foreground spectral parameters, and 2) joint sampling
of all amplitude-type degrees of freedom (e.g., CMB, foreground pixel
amplitudes, and global template amplitudes) given spectral parameters. Given a
parametric model of the foreground signals, we estimate efficiently and
accurately the exact joint foreground-CMB posterior distribution, and therefore
all marginal distributions such as the CMB power spectrum or foreground
spectral index posteriors. The main limitation of the current implementation is
the requirement of identical beam responses at all frequencies, which restricts
the analysis to the lowest resolution of a given experiment. We outline a
future generalization to multi-resolution observations. To verify the method,
we analyse simple models and compare the results to analytical predictions. We
then analyze a realistic simulation with properties similar to the 3-yr WMAP
data, downgraded to a common resolution of 3 degree FWHM. The results from the
actual 3-yr WMAP temperature analysis are presented in a companion Letter.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figures; version accepted for publication in ApJ -- only
minor changes, all clarifications. More information about the WMAP3 analysis
available at http://www.astro.uio.no/~hke under the Research ta
Approximating Fractional Time Quantum Evolution
An algorithm is presented for approximating arbitrary powers of a black box
unitary operation, , where is a real number, and
is a black box implementing an unknown unitary. The complexity of
this algorithm is calculated in terms of the number of calls to the black box,
the errors in the approximation, and a certain `gap' parameter. For general
and large , one should apply a total of times followed by our procedure for approximating the fractional
power . An example is also given where for
large integers this method is more efficient than direct application of
copies of . Further applications and related algorithms are also
discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure
A numerically efficient implementation of the expectation maximization algorithm for state space models
Peer reviewedPostprin
Fast and precise map-making for massively multi-detector CMB experiments
Future cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation experiments aim to
measure an unprecedentedly small signal - the primordial gravity wave component
of the polarisation field B-mode. To achieve this, they will analyse huge
datasets, involving years worth of time-ordered data (TOD) from massively
multi-detector focal planes. This creates the need for fast and precise methods
to complement the M-L approach in analysis pipelines. In this paper, we
investigate fast map-making methods as applied to long duration, massively
multi-detector, ground-based experiments, in the context of the search for
B-modes. We focus on two alternative map-making approaches: destriping and TOD
filtering, comparing their performance on simulated multi-detector polarisation
data. We have written an optimised, parallel destriping code, the DEStriping
CARTographer DESCART, that is generalised for massive focal planes, including
the potential effect of cross-correlated TOD 1/f noise. We also determine the
scaling of computing time for destriping as applied to a simulated full-season
data-set for a realistic experiment. We find that destriping can out-perform
filtering in estimating both the large-scale E and B-mode angular power
spectra. In particular, filtering can produce significant spurious B-mode power
via EB mixing. Whilst this can be removed, it contributes to the variance of
B-mode bandpower estimates at scales near the primordial B-mode peak. For the
experimental configuration we simulate, this has an effect on the possible
detection significance for primordial B-modes. Destriping is a viable
alternative fast method to the full M-L approach that does not cause the
problems associated with filtering, and is flexible enough to fit into both M-L
and Monte-Carlo pseudo-Cl pipelines.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures. MNRAS accepted. Typos corrected and computing
time/memory requirement orders-of-magnitude numbers in section 4 replaced by
precise number
On the Origin of Near-Infrared Extragalactic Background Light Anisotropy
Extragalactic background light (EBL) anisotropy traces variations in the
total production of photons over cosmic history, and may contain faint,
extended components missed in galaxy point source surveys. Infrared EBL
fluctuations have been attributed to primordial galaxies and black holes at the
epoch of reionization (EOR), or alternately, intra-halo light (IHL) from stars
tidally stripped from their parent galaxies at low redshift. We report new EBL
anisotropy measurements from a specialized sounding rocket experiment at 1.1
and 1.6 micrometers. The observed fluctuations exceed the amplitude from known
galaxy populations, are inconsistent with EOR galaxies and black holes, and are
largely explained by IHL emission. The measured fluctuations are associated
with an EBL intensity that is comparable to the background from known galaxies
measured through number counts, and therefore a substantial contribution to the
energy contained in photons in the cosmos.Comment: 65 pages, 29 figures, Published in Science Nov 7 2014 (includes
supplementary material
Statistical analysis of low level atmospheric turbulence
The statistical properties of low-level wind-turbulence data were obtained with the model 1080 total vector anemometer and the model 1296 dual split-film anemometer, both manufactured by Thermo Systems Incorporated. The data obtained from the above fast-response probes were compared with the results obtained from a pair of Gill propeller anemometers. The digitized time series representing the three velocity components and the temperature were each divided into a number of blocks, the length of which depended on the lowest frequency of interest and also on the storage capacity of the available computer. A moving-average and differencing high-pass filter was used to remove the trend and the low frequency components in the time series. The calculated results for each of the anemometers used are represented in graphical or tabulated form
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