42 research outputs found
Cross-Correlation Studies with CMB Polarization Maps
The free-electron population during the reionized epoch rescatters CMB
temperature quadrupole and generates a now well-known polarization signal at
large angular scales. While this contribution has been detected in the
temperature-polarization cross power spectrum measured with WMAP data, due to
the large cosmic variance associated with anisotropy measurements at tens of
degree angular scales only limited information related to reionization, such as
the optical depth to electron scattering, can be extracted. The inhomogeneities
in the free-electron population lead to an additional secondary polarization
anisotropy contribution at arcminute scales. While the fluctuation amplitude,
relative to dominant primordial fluctuations, is small, we suggest that a
cross-correlation between arcminute scale CMB polarization data and a tracer
field of the high redshift universe, such as through fluctuations captured by
the 21 cm neutral Hydrogen background or those in the infrared background
related to first proto-galaxies, may allow one to study additional details
related to reionization. For this purpose, we discuss an optimized higher order
correlation measurement, in the form of a three-point function, including
information from large angular scale CMB temperature anisotropies in addition
to arcminute scale polarization signal related to inhomogeneous reionization.
We suggest that the proposed bispectrum can be measured with a substantial
signal-to-noise ratio and does not require all-sky maps of CMB polarization or
that of the tracer field. A measurement such as the one proposed may allow one
to establish the epoch when CMB polarization related to reionization is
generated and to address if the universe was reionized once or twice.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures; Version in press with Phys. Rev.
Cross-Correlation of the Cosmic Microwave Background with the 2MASS Galaxy Survey: Signatures of Dark Energy, Hot Gas, and Point Sources
We cross-correlate the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature
anisotropies observed by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) with
the projected distribution of extended sources in the Two Micron All Sky Survey
(2MASS). By modelling the theoretical expectation for this signal, we extract
the signatures of dark energy (Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect;ISW), hot gas
(thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect;thermal SZ), and microwave point sources in
the cross-correlation. Our strongest signal is the thermal SZ, at the 3.1-3.7
\sigma level, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction based on
observations of X-ray clusters. We also see the ISW signal at the 2.5 \sigma
level, which is consistent with the expected value for the concordance LCDM
cosmology, and is an independent signature of the presence of dark energy in
the universe. Finally, we see the signature of microwave point sources at the
2.7 \sigma level.Comment: 35 pages (preprint format), 8 figures. In addition to minor revisions
based on referee's comments, after correcting for a bug in the code, the SZ
detection is consistent with the X-ray observations. Accepeted for
publication in Physical Review
A re-interpretation of the concept of mass and of the relativistic mass-energy relation
For over a century the definitions of mass and derivations of its relation
with energy continue to be elaborated, demonstrating that the concept of mass
is still not satisfactorily understood. The aim of this study is to show that,
starting from the properties of Minkowski spacetime and from the principle of
least action, energy expresses the property of inertia of a body. This implies
that inertial mass can only be the object of a definition - the so called
mass-energy relation - aimed at measuring energy in different units, more
suitable to describe the huge amount of it enclosed in what we call the
"rest-energy" of a body. Likewise, the concept of gravitational mass becomes
unnecessary, being replaceable by energy, thus making the weak equivalence
principle intrinsically verified. In dealing with mass, a new unit of
measurement is foretold for it, which relies on the de Broglie frequency of
atoms, the value of which can today be measured with an accuracy of a few parts
in 10^9
Intensidade de raleio de frutos em pessegueiros 'flordaprince' conduzidos em pomar com alta densidade de plantio
The integrated Sachs-Wolfe Effect -- Large Scale Structure Correlation
We discuss the correlation between late-time integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW)
effect in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropies and
the large scale structure of the local universe. This correlation has been
proposed and studied in the literature as a probe of the dark energy and its
physical properties. We consider a variety of large scale structure tracers
suitable for a detection of the ISW effect via a cross-correlation. In addition
to luminous sources, we suggest the use of tracers such as dark matter halos or
galaxy clusters. A suitable catalog of mass selected halos for this purpose can
be constructed with upcoming wide-field lensing and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ)
effect surveys. With multifrequency data, the presence of the ISW-large scale
structure correlation can also be investigated through a cross-correlation of
the frequency cleaned SZ and CMB maps. While convergence maps constructed from
lensing surveys of the large scale structure via galaxy ellipticities are less
correlated with the ISW effect, lensing potentials that deflect CMB photons are
strongly correlated and allow, probably, the best mechanism to study the
ISW-large scale structure correlation with CMB data alone.Comment: 10 Pages, PRD submitte