Efficient decomposition of cosmic microwave background polarization maps into pureE, pureB, and ambiguous components

2010/08/31 by Emory F. Bunn · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #astro-ph.CO

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.83.083003

published as Phys.Rev.D83:083003,2011 · Minor changes to previous version. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D

arxiv created 2011/03/15 · openalex publication_date 2011/04/08 · arxiv updated 2011/04/22 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Separation of the B component of a cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization map from the much larger E component is an essential step in CMB polarimetry. For a map with incomplete sky coverage, this separation is necessarily hampered by the presence of ambiguous modes which could be either E or B modes. I present an efficient pixel-space algorithm for removing the ambiguous modes and separating the map into pure E and B components. The method, which works for arbitrary geometries, does not involve generating a complete basis of such modes and scales the cube of the number of pixels on the boundary of the map.

Citations

• Determining Neutrino Mass from the Cosmic Microwave Background Alone
• Signature of Gravity Waves in the Polarization of the Microwave Background
• General solution to theE−Bmixing problem

Cited by

• Planck 2013 results. XXIII. Isotropy and statistics of the CMB
• Detection of relic gravitational waves in the CMB: prospects for CMBPol mission

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