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Title: Precision measurement of the mean curvature

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.73.0· OSTI ID:20795695
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616 (United States)

Very small mean curvature is a robust prediction of inflation worth rigorous checking. Since current constraints are derived from determinations of the angular-diameter distance to the CMB last-scattering surface, which is also affected by dark energy, they are limited by our understanding of the dark energy. Measurements of luminosity or angular-diameter distances to redshifts in the matter-dominated era can greatly reduce this uncertainty. With a 1% measurement of the distance to z=3, combined with the CMB data expected from Planck, one can achieve {sigma}({omega}{sub k}h{sup 2}){approx}10{sup -3}. A nonzero detection at this level would be evidence against inflation or for unusually large curvature fluctuations on super-Hubble scales.

OSTI ID:
20795695
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 73, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.73.023503; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English