Tensor-induced B modes with no temperature fluctuations

Marc Kamionkowski, Liang Dai, Donghui Jeong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The recent indications for a tensor-to-scalar ratio r≃0.2 from BICEP2 measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode polarization present some tension with upper limits r0.1 from measurements of CMB temperature fluctuations. Here we point out that tensor perturbations can induce B modes in the CMB polarization without inducing any temperature fluctuations nor E-mode polarization whatsoever, but only at the expense of violating the Copernican principle. We present this mathematical possibility as a new ingredient for the model-builder's toolkit in case the tension between B modes and temperature fluctuations cannot be resolved with more conventional ideas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number107302
JournalPhysical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
Volume89
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 13 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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