We present a fast Markov Chain Monte-Carlo exploration of cosmological parameter space. We perform a joint analysis of results from recent CMB experiments and provide parameter constraints, including sigma_8, from the CMB independent of other data. We next combine data from the CMB, HST Key Project, 2dF galaxy redshift survey, supernovae Ia and big-bang nucleosynthesis. The Monte Carlo method allows the rapid investigation of a large number of parameters, and we present results from 6 and 9 parameter analyses of flat models, and an 11 parameter analysis of non-flat models. Our results include constraints on the neutrino mass (m_nu < 0.3eV), equation of state of the dark energy, and the tensor amplitude, as well as demonstrating the effect of additional parameters on the base parameter constraints. In a series of appendices we describe the many uses of importance sampling, including computing results from new data and accuracy correction of results generated from an approximate method. We also discuss the different ways of converting parameter samples to parameter constraints, the effect of the prior, assess the goodness of fit and consistency, and describe the use of analytic marginalization over normalization parameters.

CosmoSIS is a cosmological parameter estimation code. It structures cosmological parameter estimation to ease re-usability, debugging, verifiability, and code sharing in the form of calculation modules. Witten in python, CosmoSIS consolidates and connects existing code for predicting cosmic observables and maps out experimental likelihoods with a range of different techniques.

Im3shape forward-fits a galaxy model to each data image it is supplied with and reports the parameters of the best fitting model, including the ellipticity components. It uses the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) to render images of convolved galaxy profiles, calculates the maximum likelihood parameter values, and corrects for noise bias. IM3SHAPE is a modular C code with a significant amount of Python glue code to enable setting up new models and their options automatically.

SkyPy simulates the astrophysical sky. It provides functions that sample realizations of sources and their associated properties from probability distributions. Simulation pipelines are constructed from these models, while task scheduling and data dependencies are handled internally. The package's modular design, containing a library of physical and empirical models across a range of observables and a command line script to run end-to-end simulations, allows users to interface with external software.