Making sky maps from Planck data

Abstract

We compare the performance of multiple codes written by different groups for making polarized maps from Planck-sized, all-sky cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. Three of the codes are based on a destriping algorithm; the other three are implementations of an optimal maximum-likelihood algorithm. Time-ordered data (TOD) were simulated using the Planck Level-S simulation pipeline. Several cases of temperature-only data were run to test that the codes could handle large datasets, and to explore effects such as the precision of the pointing data. Based on these preliminary results, TOD were generated for a set of four 217 GHz detectors (the minimum number required to produce I, Q, and U maps) under two different scanning strategies, with and without noise. Following correction of various problems revealed by the early simulation, all codes were able to handle the large data volume that Planck will produce. Differences in maps produced are small but noticeable; differences in computing resources are large.