Current constraints on Cosmological Parameters from Microwave Background Anisotropies

Abstract

We compare the latest observations of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Anisotropies with the theoretical predictions of the standard scenario of structure formation. Assuming a primordial power spectrum of adiabatic perturbations we found that the total energy density is constrained to be $\Omega_{tot}=1.03\pm0.06$ while the energy density in baryon and Cold Dark Matter (CDM) are $\Omega_bh^2=0.021\pm0.003$ and $\Omega_{cdm}h^2=0.12\pm0.02$, (all at 68% C.L.) respectively. The primordial spectrum is consistent with scale invariance, ($n_s=0.97\pm0.04$) and the age of the universe is $t_0=14.6\pm0.9$ Gyrs. Adding informations from Large Scale Structure and Supernovae, we found a strong evidence for a cosmological constant $\Omega_{\Lambda}=0.70_{-0.05}^{+0.07}$ and a value of the Hubble parameter $h=0.69\pm0.07$. Restricting this combined analysis to flat universes, we put constraints on possible 'extensions' of the standard scenario. A gravity waves contribution to the quadrupole anisotropy is limited to be $r \le 0.42$ (95% c.l.). A constant equation of state for the dark energy component is bound to be $w_Q \le -0.74$ (95% c.l.). We constrain the effective relativistic degrees of freedom $N_\nu \leq 6.2$ and the neutrino chemical potential $-0.01 \leq \xi_e \leq 0.18$ and $|\xi_{\mu,\tau}|\leq 2.3$ (massless neutrinos).Comment: The status of cosmological parameters before WMAP. In press on Phys. Rev. D., Rapid Communication, 6 pages, 5 figure