BICEP2 and Keck Array operational overview and status of observations

Understand

The BICEP2 and Keck Array experiments are designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) on angular scales of 2-4 degrees (l=50-100).

• This is the region in which the B-mode signal, a signature prediction of cosmic inflation, is expected to peak.
• BICEP2 was deployed to the South Pole at the end of 2009 and is in the middle of its third year of observing with 500 polarization-sensitive detectors at 150 GHz.
• The Keck Array was deployed to the South Pole at the end of 2010, initially with three receivers--each similar to BICEP2.