Are all modes created equal? An analysis of the WMAP 5- and 7-year data without inflationary prejudice

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.067301· OSTI ID:21537611

Gjerloew, Eirik; Elgaroey, Oystein ^[1]

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1. Institute of theoretical astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029, N-0315 Oslo (Norway)

We submit recent claims of hints of primordial tensor perturbations and a scale-dependent spectral index in the WMAP data to a closer scrutiny. Our approach differs in that we use different best-fit values at which to fix the parameters not to be varied, and in that we use CosmoMC, thus incorporating the WMAP likelihood code and EE and BB mode data. We introduce a new parameter to test the claims of a scale-dependent spectral index. While we do find some hints of a scale-dependent spectral index over the multipole range l=2-220, the change in maximum likelihood is too small to justify introducing a new parameter. We conclude that there is no significant detection of primordial tensor perturbations, and that the assumption of a scale-independent spectral index in this multipole range has little effect on the amount of primordial gravitational waves found.

• OSTI ID: 21537611
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 83, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.83.067301; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
DATA ACQUISITION
DETECTION
DISTURBANCES
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD FIT
PERTURBATION THEORY
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION