Abstract
Since the B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) was detected by the BICEP2 experiment and an unexpectedly large tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r=0.20^{+0.07}_{-0.05}$, was found, the base standard cosmology should at least be extended to the 7-parameter $\Lambda$CDM+$r$ model. In this paper, we consider the extensions to this base $\Lambda$CDM+$r$ model by including additional base parameters relevant to neutrinos and/or other neutrino-like relativistic components. Four neutrino cosmological models are considered, i.e., the $\Lambda$CDM+$r$+$\sum m_\nu$, $\Lambda$CDM+$r$+$N_{\rm eff}$, $\Lambda$CDM+$r$+$\sum m_\nu$+$N_{\rm eff}$, and $\Lambda$CDM+$r$+$N_{\rm eff}$+$m_{\nu,{\rm sterile}}^{\rm eff}$ models. We combine the current data, including the Planck temperature data, the WMAP 9-year polarization data, the baryon acoustic oscillation data, the Hubble constant direct measurement data, the Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster counts data, the Planck CMB lensing data, the cosmic shear data, and the BICEP2 polarization data, to constrain these neutrino cosmological models. We focus on the constraints on the parameters $\sum m_\nu$, $N_{\rm eff}$, and $m_{\nu,{\rm sterile}}^{\rm eff}$. We also discuss whether the tension on $r$ between Planck and BICEP2 can be relieved in these neutrino cosmological models.
Highlights
To reduce the tension, more possibilities should be explored
Since the tensor-to-scalar ratio r is found to be around 0.2, the standard cosmology should at least be extended to CDM+r model
The observational data we use in this paper are from Planck+WP+baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), H0 direct measurement, Planck SZ cluster counts, Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing, cosmic shear measurement, and BICEP2
Summary
More possibilities should be explored. One interesting suggestion is to consider additional sterile neutrino species in the universe [3,4]. The model with sterile neutrino is naturally called CDM+r +νs model, in which two additional parameters, Neff and meνf,fsterile, are included. By including a sterile neutrino species in the universe, the tension between Planck and BICEP2 is relieved, and the other tensions between Planck and other astrophysical observations, such as the H0 direct measurement, the cluster counts, and the galaxy shear measurement, can all be significantly reduced.. By combining the Planck + WP with the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), H0, Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) cluster counts, CMB lensing, galaxy shear, and BICEP2 data, it is found that in the CDM + r + νs model the existing cosmological data. The observational data we use in this paper are from Planck+WP+BAO, H0 direct measurement, Planck SZ cluster counts, Planck CMB lensing, cosmic shear measurement, and BICEP2.
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