CMB Experiments

Below is a list of known CMB experiments, with links to their home pages (if available), a brief description, and, whenever possible, links to internal LAMBDA pages which provide the publicly available data from these experiments. LAMBDA serves as a long-term repository for these archives. If an experiment of interest to you is missing from the list, or there is experimental data you would like to provide, please contact us via the suggestion form.

The left-most column contains links to the individual project websites, which will typically provide the most comprehensive collections of data. The second column contains links to project data held at LAMBDA. Initially the data at LAMBDA might be a subset of the data at the project website, but the LAMBDA holdings will grow with time and they will be maintained as a permanent archive.

A list of surveys with observations of polarized foregrounds is also available.

Click on Footprint to view an experiment's sky footprint.

Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropy
Links to Project Website Data
At
LAMBDA
Full
Name
Year Status l-min l-max Frequ-
ency
(GHz)
Detectors Polariz-
ation
Values
Type
ABS
DATA
Atacama B-mode Search
2011 - 2014
Completed
25
200
145
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
ACBAR
DATA
Arcminute Cosmology Bolometer Array Receiver
2001 - 2008
Completed
60
2700
150, 219, 274
Bolometer
No
Ground
ACME/ HACME
Advanced Cosmic Microwave Explorer / HEMT+ACME
1988 - 1996
Completed
10
180
26-35 and 38-45
HEMT
No
Ground
ACT
DATA
Footprint
Atacama Cosmology Telescope
2008
Active
500
10000
148, 218, 277
Bolometer
No
Ground
ACTPol
DATA
Footprint
Atacama Cosmology Telescope - Polarization
2013
Active
225
8725
90, 146
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Advanced ACTPol
DATA
Advanced Atacama Cosmology Telescope - polarization
2016
Active
225
8725
28, 41, 90, 150, 230
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
AliCPT
Ali CMB Polarization Telescope

Future
20
900
90, 150
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
APACHE
Antarctic PlateauAnisotropy CHasing Experiment
1995 - 1996
Completed
-
-
100, 150, 250
Bolometer
No
Ground
Archeops
DATA
Archeops
1999 - 2002
Completed
10
700
143, 217, 353, 545
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
ARGO
ARGO
1988 - 1988 1990 - 1990 1993 - 1993
Completed
53
180
150-600
Bolometer
No
Balloon
ATCA
Australia Telescope Compact Array
1991 - 1997
Completed
3350
6050
8.7
HEMT
No
Ground
BAM
Balloon- borne Anisotropy Measurement
1995 - 1995
Completed
30
100
110-250
Liquid-helium cooled, Fourier transform spectrometer
No
Balloon
BaR-SPOrt
Balloon-borne Radiometers for Sky Polarisation Observations

Cancelled
100
1000
32, 90
Polarizer/OMT
Yes
Balloon
BEAST
Background Emission Anisotropy Scanning Telescope
2000
Active
10
1000
100 and 150
HEMT
Yes
Balloon Ground
BICEP Array
BICEP/Keck
2020
Active
21
335
30, 40, 95, 150, 220, 270
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
BICEP1
DATA
Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization
2006 - 2008
Completed
21
335
100, 150, 220
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
BICEP2
DATA
Footprint
BICEP/Keck
2010 - 2012
Completed
21
335
95
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
BICEP3
DATA
BICEP/Keck
2015
Active
21
335
95
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
BIMA
Berkeley Illinois Maryland Associations
1986 - 2004
Completed
5237
8749
70-116, and 210-270
SIS
No
Ground
BOOMERanG
DATA
Footprint
Balloon Observations Of Millimetric Extragalactic Radiation AND Geophysics
1997 - 2003
Completed
25
1025
90-420
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
Boughn et al. 1981
Cheng et al. 1979
Boughn et al. measurements
1975 - 1975 1978 - 1978 1980 - 1980
Completed
1
2
19.0, 24.8, 31.4, 46.0
Dicke-switched
No
Balloon
CAPMAP
DATA
Cosmic Anisotropy Polarization MAPper
2002 - 2008
Completed
500
1500
90 and 40
MMIC/ HEMT
Yes
Ground
CAT
Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope
1994 - 1997
Completed
339
722
13-17
Interferometer/ HEMT
No
Ground
CBI
DATA
Cosmic Background Imager
2002 - 2008
Completed
300
3000
26-36,in 10 channels
Interferometer/ HEMT
No
Ground
CG
Cosmological Gene
1997 - 2009
Completed
100
1000
0.6 to 32
HEMT
No
Ground
CLASS
DATA
Cosmology Large-Angular Scale Surveyor
2016
Active
2
200
40, 90, 150, 220
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Clover
Clover

Cancelled
20
1000
97, 150 and 230
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
CMB-HD
Cosmic Microwave Background - High Definition

Future
100
35000
30, 40, 90, 150, 220, 280, 350
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
CMB-S4
CMB-S4

Future
21
11000
20, 30, 40, 90, 150, 220, 270
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
COBE/DMR
DATA
Cosmic Background Explorer Differential Microwave Radiometer
1989 - 1993
Completed
2
40
31.5, 53, 90
-
No
Satellite
COMPASS
COsmic Microwave Polarization At Small Scales
2001 - 2001
Completed
200
600
26-36
HEMT
Yes
Ground
COSMOSOMAS
COSMOlogical Structures On Medium Angular Scales
1998 - 2007
Completed
10
200
10-18
HEMT
No
Ground
DASI
DATA
Degree Angular Scale Interfer-ometer
2001 - 2003
Completed
200
900
26-36,in 10 bands
HEMT
Yes
Ground
EBEX
The E and B Experiment
2012 - 2013
Completed
25
1000
150-450
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
FIRS
Far Infra-Red Survey
1989 - 1989
Completed
3
29
170-680
Bolometer
No
Balloon
Fixsen et al. 1983
Princeton group measurements
1983 - 1983
Completed
1
18
24.5
Heterodyne
No
Balloon
GroundBIRD
Ground B-mode Imaging Radiation Detector

Future
6
300
145, 220
MKID
Yes
Ground
Halpern et al. 1988
UBC/MIT group measurements
1974 - 1981
Completed
1
1
36-240, 150-540
Bolometer
No
Balloon
Keck Array
DATA
BICEP/Keck
2012 - 2020
Completed
21
335
95,150,220,270
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
KUPID
KU-band Polarization IDentifier
2003 - 2006
Completed
100
600
12-18
HEMT
Yes
Ground
LiteBIRD
(Lite) B-mode polarization & Inflation from cosmic background Radiation Detection

Future
2
200
40, 50, 60, 68, 78, 89, 100, 119, 140, 166, 195, 235, 280, 337, 402
Bolometer
Yes
Satellite
LSPE
Large Scale Polarization Explorer

Future
2
100
43, 90, 95, 145, 245
HEMT/Bolometer
Yes
Balloon Ground
Lubin et al. 1985
Lubin et al. 1983
Berkeley group measurements
1981 - 1982
Completed
1
26
90
Heterodyne
No
Balloon
MAT
Mobile Anisotropy Telescope
1997 - 1997 1998 - 1998
Completed
30
1100
30-140
HEMT/SIS
No
Ground
MAXIMA
DATA
Millimeter Anisotropy eXperiment Imaging Array
1995 - 1995 1998 - 1998 1999 - 1999
Completed
50
700
150-420
Bolometer
No
Balloon
MAXIPOL
MAXIPOL
2002 - 2002 2003 - 2003
Completed
151
693
150-410
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
MBI-B
Millimeter-Wave Bolometric Interferometer

Future -- see QUBIC
360
16000
90
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Melchiorri et al. 1981
Fabbri et al. 1980
Melchiorri group measurements
1978 - 1978
Completed
1
30
100-600
Bolometer
No
Balloon
MINT
Millimeter INTerferometer
2001 - 2002
Completed
1000
3000
150
SIS
No
Ground
MIPOL
DATA
Milano Polarimeter
1993 - 2011
Completed
7
27
33
HEMT preamplifiers, Schotky diodes
Yes
Ground
MSAM
DATA
Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement
1992 - 1997
Completed
69
362
150-650
Bolometer
No
Balloon
PICO
Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins

Future
2
4000
21, 25, 30, 36, 43, 52, 62, 75, 90, 108, 129, 155, 186, 223, 268, 321, 385, 462, 555, 666, 799
Bolometer
Yes
Satellite
PIPER
Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer

Future
-
-
200, 270, 350, 600

Yes
Balloon
PIQUE
Princeton I, Q, and U Experiment
2002 - 2002
Completed
69
362
90
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Planck
DATA
Footprint
Planck
2009 - 2013
Completed
2
2500
30 -- 857
Radio, Bolometer
Yes
Satellite
POLAR
Polarization Observations oF Large Angular Regions
2000 - 2000
Completed
2
30
26-36
HEMT
Yes
Ground
POLARBEAR
DATA
Footprint
POLARization of Background microwave Radiation
2012
Active
50
2000
150
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
POLARBEAR-2
POLARization of Background microwave Radiation 2

Future -- see Simons Array
30
3000
95, 150
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Polartron
Polatron

Cancelled
200
2000
100
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Python
Python
1992 - 1997
Completed
55
240
30-90
Bolometer/ HEMT
No
Ground
QMAP
DATA
QMAP
1996 - 1996
Completed
30
850
30-140
HEMT/SIS
No
Balloon
QMASK
DATA
QMAP and Saskatoon (SK) Data Combination
1993 - 1996
Completed
40
335
26-46
HEMT,HEMT/SIS
No
Balloon Ground
QUaD
DATA
QUEST (Q and U Extra-Galactic Sub-mm Telescope) and DASI (Degree Angular Scale Interferometer)
2005 - 2010
Completed
~200
2000
100, 150
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
QUBIC
Q & U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology

Future
30
200
150, 220
Bolometric Interferometer
Yes
Ground
QUIET
DATA
Footprint
QU Imaging ExperimenT
2008 - 2010
Completed
60
3500
40, 90
HEMT
Yes
Ground
QUIJOTE
DATA
Footprint
Q U I JOint TEnerife
2012
Active
10
300
11, 13, 17, 19, 30, 40
Polarizer/OMT
Yes
Ground
Relikt
Relikt
1983 - 1984
Completed


37
-
No
Satellite
Simons Array
Simons Array

Future
30
3000
90, 150, 220, 270
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Simons Observatory
Simons Observatory

Future
30
8000
27, 39, 90, 150, 220, 270
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
SK
Saskatoon
1993 - 1995
Completed
52
401
26-46
HEMT
Yes
Ground
Smoot and Lubin 1979
Smoot et al. 1977
Smoot et al. measurements
1976 - 1976 1977 - 1977 1979 - 1979
Completed
1
2
33
Heterodyne
No

SPIDER
DATA
Footprint
Spider
2015
Active
10
300
90, 150, 280
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
SPOrt
Sky Polarization Observatory

Cancelled


22 -- 90
-
Yes
Satellite
SPT
DATA
Footprint
South Pole Telescope
2007
Active
650
9500
95, 150, 220
Bolometer
No
Ground
SPT-3G
South Pole Telescope - third generation
2018
Active
50
11000
95, 150, 220
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
SPT-3G+
SPT-3G+

Future
50
11000
220, 285, 345
Kinetic Inductance Detectors
No
Ground
SPTpol
DATA
South Pole Telescope - Polarization
2012
Active
50
8000
95, 150
Bolometer
Yes
Ground
Taurus
Taurus

Future
2
300
150, 220, 280, 350
Bolometer
Yes
Balloon
Tenerife
Tenerife
1984 - 2000
Completed
13
30
10, 15, 33
HEMT
No
Ground
TopHat
TopHat
2002 - 2004
Completed
10
700
150-720
Bolometer
No
Balloon
VSA
DATA
Very Small Array
2002 - 2004
Completed
130
1800
26-36
Interferometer/ HEMT
No
Ground
WMAP
DATA
Footprint
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
2001 - 2010
Completed
2
1200
23, 33, 41, 61, 94
HEMT
Yes
Satellite
YTLA (formerly AMiBA)
Yuan-Tseh Lee Array
2007 - 2017
Completed
n/a
4300
90
Interferometer/HEMT
Yes
Ground
Cosmic Microwave Background Spectrum
ARCADE
DATA
Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission
2001 - 2006
Completed
n/a
n/a
3, 5, 7, 10, 30, 90
HEMT
No
Balloon
COBE/FIRAS
DATA
Cosmic Background Explorer Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer
1989 - 1990
Completed
n/a
n/a
30-2910
Bolometer
No
Satellite
South Pole
DATA
South Pole (Berkeley, Milano) collaboration
1989 - 1992
Completed
n/a
n/a
0.82, 1.47, 2.0, 2.5, 3.8, 7.5, 90
Heterodyne systems, RF gain total power systems, LNA
No
Ground
TRIS
DATA
Three Radiometer CMB Spectrum Experiment
1994 - 2000
Completed
n/a
n/a
0.6, 0.82, 2.5

No
Ground
WhiteMountain
DATA
White Mt. (Berkeley, Bologna, Haverford, Milano, Padova) collaboration
1982 - 1983
Completed
n/a
n/a
2.5, 4.75, 9.4, 10, 33, 90
Dicke-switched, heterodyne systems, LNA preamplifiers
No
Ground
Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect
AMI
Arcminute MicroKelvin Imager
2005
Active
n/a
22000
12-18
Interferometer
No
Ground
APEX-SZ
Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment
2007
Completed
3000
10000
150, 217
Bolometer
No
Ground
MUSTANG/MUSTANG2
MUltiplexed Squid/Tes Array for Ninety Gigahertz
2007
Active
1300,6000
40000
90
Bolometer
No
Ground
SuZIE
Sunyaev-Zeldovich Infrared Experiment
1996 - 2008
Completed
1000
3700
150, 220, 350
Bolometer
No
Ground
SZA
Sunyaev- Zeldovich Array
2004
Completed
-
-
26-36 and 85-115
Interferometer
No
Ground

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