(Lack of) Cosmological evidence for dark radiation after Planck
File(s)1307.2904v2.pdf (625.52 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Verde, Licia
Feeney, Stephen M
Mortlock, Daniel J
Peiris, Hiranya V
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We use Bayesian model comparison to determine whether extensions to Standard-Model neutrino physics — primarily additional effective numbers of neutrinos and/or massive neutrinos — are merited by the latest cosmological data. Given the significant advances in cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations represented by the Planck data, we examine whether Planck temperature and CMB lensing data, in combination with lower redshift data, have strengthened (or weakened) the previous findings. We conclude that the state-of-the-art cosmological data do not show evidence for deviations from the standard (ΛCDM) cosmological model (which has three massless neutrino families). This does not mean that the model is necessarily correct — in fact we know it is incomplete as neutrinos are not massless — but it does imply that deviations from the standard model (e.g., non-zero neutrino mass) are too small compared to the current experimental uncertainties to be inferred from cosmological data alone.
Date Issued
2013-09-01
Date Acceptance
2013-08-15
Citation
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2013, 2013 (9)
ISSN
1475-7516
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume
2013
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2013/09/013.
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council [2006-2012]
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000326826000013&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
ST/K001051/1
ST/K001051/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Physics, Particles & Fields
Physics
neutrino properties
cosmological neutrinos
cosmological parameters from CMBR
BARYON ACOUSTIC-OSCILLATIONS
MODEL SELECTION
LIKELIHOOD RATIO
CONSTRAINTS
TELESCOPE
EFFICIENT
DISTANCE
ENERGY
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
013
Date Publish Online
2013-09-10