New Probes of Large-scale CMB Anomalies
Simone Aiola
University of Pittsburgh
Inflation prescribes a homogenous and isotropic universe on large scales, and it
generates density fluctuations which are expected to be spatially correlated
over the whole Hubble volume. Such fundamental predictions have been tested
with current Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data and found to be in tension
with our - remarkably simple - \Lambda CDM model. Is it just a random fluke or a
fundamental issue with the present model? In this talk, I will present new
possibilities of using the CMB polarization as a probe of the measured
suppression of the large-scale temperature correlation function. I will also
discuss the viability of using this new technique with present and upcoming
data. To further analyze the statistical properties of the CMB temperature sky,
I will show results from our latest analysis focused on constraining the degree
of statistical anisotropy of the CMB in the context of the observed large-scale
dipole power asymmetry. I will also highlight future prospects for improving
the current analysis. To conclude, I will celebrate the success of the current
model, as constrained by the small-scale CMB fluctuations, by giving a brief
description of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope map-making pipeline and related
science.
Date: | Thursday, 19 November 2015 |
Time: | 15:30 |
Where: | McGill University |
| McGill Space Institute (3550 University), Conference Room |
Contact: | Robert Rutledge |
|