POLARBEAR constraints on cosmic birefringence and primordial magnetic fields
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We constrain anisotropic cosmic birefringence using four-point correlations of even-parity E-mode and odd-parity B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background measurements made by the POLARization of the Background Radiation (POLARBEAR) experiment in its first season of observations. We find that the anisotropic cosmic birefringence signal from any parity-violating processes is consistent with zero. The Faraday rotation from anisotropic cosmic birefringence can be compared with the equivalent quantity generated by primordial magnetic fields if they existed. The POLARBEAR nondetection translates into a 95% confidence level (C.L.) upper limit of 93 nanogauss (nG) on the amplitude of an equivalent primordial magnetic field inclusive of systematic uncertainties. This four-point correlation constraint on Faraday rotation is about 15 times tighter than the upper limit of 1380 nG inferred from constraining the contribution of Faraday rotation to two-point correlations of B-modes measured by Planck in 2015. Metric perturbations sourced by primordial magnetic fields would also contribute to the B-mode power spectrum. Using the POLARBEAR measurements of the B-mode power spectrum (two-point correlation), we set a 95% C.L. upper limit of 3.9 nG on primordial magnetic fields assuming a flat prior on the field amplitude. This limit is comparable to what was found in the Planck 2015 two-point correlation analysis with both temperature and polarization. We perform a set of systematic error tests and find no evidence for contamination. This work marks the first time that anisotropic cosmic birefringence or primordial magnetic fields have been constrained from the ground at subdegree scales.
Date Issued
2015-12-08
Date Acceptance
2015-12-08
Citation
Physical Review D, 2015, 92 (12)
ISSN
1550-7998
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review D
Volume
92
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2015 American Physical Society
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Grant Number
PP/E002129/1
ST/H001239/1
ST/J001368/1
ST/K001051/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Physics, Particles & Fields
Physics
MICROWAVE BACKGROUND POLARIZATION
LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE
B-MODE POLARIZATION
100 SQUARE DEGREES
FARADAY-ROTATION
GRAVITY-WAVES
TEV BLAZARS
SPTPOL DATA
ANISOTROPIES
SIGNATURE
Nuclear & Particles Physics
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle And Plasma Physics
0206 Quantum Physics
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
123509