Future Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Research Articles

Identifying frequency de-correlated dust residuals in B-mode maps by exploiting the spectral capability of bolometric interferometry

Astrophysical polarized foregrounds represent the most critical challenge in cosmic microwave background (CMB) $B$-mode experiments, requiring multifrequency observations to constrain astrophysical foregrounds and isolate the CMB signal. However, recent observations indicate that foreground emission may be more complex than anticipated. Not properly accounting for these complexities during component separation can lead to a bias in the recovered tensor-to-scalar ratio. In this paper we investigate how the increased spectral resolution provided by band-splitting in bolometric interferometry (BI) through a technique called spectral imaging can help control the foreground contamination in the case of an unaccounted-for Galactic dust frequency de-correlation along the line of sight (LOS). We focused on the next-generation ground-based CMB experiment CMB-S4 and compared its anticipated sensitivity, frequency, and sky coverage with a hypothetical version of the same experiment based on BI (CMB-S4/BI). We performed a Monte Carlo analysis based on parametric component separation methods (FGBuster and Commander) and computed the likelihood of the recovered tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r$. The main result is that spectral imaging allows us to detect systematic uncertainties on $r$ from frequency de-correlation when this effect is not accounted for in the component separation. Conversely, an imager such as CMB-S4 would detect a biased value of $r$ and would be unable to spot the presence of a systematic effect. We find a similar result in the reconstruction of the dust spectral index, and we show that with BI we can more precisely measure the dust spectral index when frequency de-correlation is present and not accounted for in the component separation. The in-band frequency resolution provided by BI allows us to identify dust LOS frequency de-correlation residuals where an imager with a similar level of performance would fail. This creates the possibility of exploiting this potential in the context of future CMB polarization experiments that will be challenged by complex foregrounds in their quest for $B$-mode detection.

Testing multi-field inflation with LiteBIRD

We investigate expected constraints on the primordial tensor power spectrum from the future cosmic microwave background polarization experiment LiteBIRD as a test of multi-field inflation, where we specifically consider spectator models as representative examples. We argue that the measurements of the tensor-to-scalar ratio and the tensor spectral index, in combination with the constraints on the scalar spectral index from the Planck observation, are useful in testing multi-field inflation models. We also discuss implications for multi-field inflationary model building.

Multiclustering needlet ILC for CMB B-mode component separation

ABSTRACT The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) primordial B-mode signal is predicted to be much lower than the polarized Galactic emission (foregrounds) in any region of the sky pointing to the need for sophisticated component separation methods. Among them, the blind Needlet Internal Linear Combination (NILC) has great relevance given our current poor knowledge of the B-mode foregrounds. However, the expected level of spatial variability of the foreground spectral properties complicates the NILC subtraction of the Galactic contamination. We therefore propose a novel extension of the NILC approach, the Multiclustering NILC (MC-NILC), which performs NILC variance minimization on separate regions of the sky (clusters) properly chosen to have similar spectral properties of the B-mode Galactic emission within them. Clusters are identified thresholding either the ratio of simulated foregrounds-only B modes (ideal case) or the one of cleaned templates of Galactic emission obtained from realistic simulations. In this work we present an application of MC-NILC to the future LiteBIRD satellite, which targets the observation of both reionization and recombination peaks of the primordial B-mode angular power spectrum with a total error on the tensor-to-scalar ratio δr < 0.001. We show that MC-NILC provides a CMB solution with residual foreground and noise contamination that is significantly lower than the NILC one and the primordial signal targeted by LiteBIRD at all angular scales for the ideal case and at the reionization peak for a realistic ratio. Thus, MC-NILC will represent a powerful method to mitigate B-mode foregrounds for future CMB polarization experiments.

Probing prerecombination physics by the cross-correlation of stochastic gravitational waves and CMB anisotropies

We study the effects of pre-recombination physics on the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background (SGWB) anisotropies induced by the propagation of gravitons through the large-scale density perturbations and their cross-correlation with Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and E-mode polarization ones. As examples of Early Universe extensions to the $\Lambda$CDM model, we consider popular models featuring extra relativistic degrees of freedom, a massless non-minimally coupled scalar field, and an Early Dark Energy component. Assuming the detection of a SGWB, we perform a Fisher analysis to assess in a quantitative way the capability of future gravitational wave interferometers (GWIs) in conjunction with a future large-scale CMB polarization experiment to constrain such variations. Our results show that the cross-correlation of CMB and SGWB anisotropies will help tighten the constraints obtained with CMB alone, with an improvement that significantly depends on the specific model as well as the maximum angular resolution $\ell_{\rm max}^{\rm GW}$ of the GWIs, their designed sensitivity, and the amplitude $A_*$ of the monopole of the SGWB.

Cross-correlation of CMB Polarization Lensing with High-z Submillimeter Herschel-ATLAS Galaxies

Abstract We report a 4.8σ measurement of the cross-correlation signal between the cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing convergence reconstructed from measurements of the CMB polarization made by the Polarbear experiment and the infrared-selected galaxies of the Herschel-ATLAS survey. This is the first measurement of its kind. We infer a best-fit galaxy bias of , corresponding to a host halo mass of at an effective redshift of z ∼ 2 from the cross-correlation power spectrum. Residual uncertainties in the redshift distribution of the submillimeter galaxies are subdominant with respect to the statistical precision. We perform a suite of systematic tests, finding that instrumental and astrophysical contaminations are small compared to the statistical error. This cross-correlation measurement only relies on CMB polarization information that, differently from CMB temperature maps, is less contaminated by galactic and extragalactic foregrounds, providing a clearer view of the projected matter distribution. This result demonstrates the feasibility and robustness of this approach for future high-sensitivity CMB polarization experiments.

Measurements of Tropospheric Ice Clouds with a Ground-based CMB Polarization Experiment, POLARBEAR

Abstract The polarization of the atmosphere has been a long-standing concern for ground-based experiments targeting cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization. Ice crystals in upper tropospheric clouds scatter thermal radiation from the ground and produce a horizontally polarized signal. We report a detailed analysis of the cloud signal using a ground-based CMB experiment, Polarbear, located at the Atacama desert in Chile and observing at 150 GHz. We observe horizontally polarized temporal increases of low-frequency fluctuations (“polarized bursts,” hereafter) of ≲0.1 K when clouds appear in a webcam monitoring the telescope and the sky. The hypothesis of no correlation between polarized bursts and clouds is rejected with >24σ statistical significance using three years of data. We consider many other possibilities including instrumental and environmental effects, and find no reasons other than clouds that can explain the data better. We also discuss the impact of the cloud polarization on future ground-based CMB polarization experiments.

Approximate likelihood approaches for detecting the influence of primordial gravitational waves in cosmic microwave background polarization

One of the major targets for next-generation cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments is the detection of the primordial B-mode signal. Planning is under way for Stage-IV experiments that are projected to have instrumental noise small enough to make lensing and foregrounds the dominant source of uncertainty for estimating the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ from polarization maps. This makes delensing a crucial part of future CMB polarization science. In this paper we present a likelihood method for estimating the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ from CMB polarization observations, which combines the benefits of a full-scale likelihood approach with the tractability of the quadratic delensing technique. This method is a pixel space, all order likelihood analysis of the quadratic delensed B modes, and it essentially builds upon the quadratic delenser by taking into account all order lensing and pixel space anomalies. Its tractability relies on a crucial factorization of the pixel space covariance matrix of the polarization observations which allows one to compute the full Gaussian approximate likelihood profile, as a function of $r$, at the same computational cost of a single likelihood evaluation.

Observing patchy reionization with future CMB polarization experiments

We study the signal from patchy reionization in view of the future high accuracy polarization measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). We implement an extraction procedure of the patchy reionization signal analogous to CMB lensing. We evaluate the signal to noise ratio (SNR) for the future Stage IV (S4) CMB experiment. The signal has a broad peak centered on the degree angular scales, with a long tail at higher multipoles. The CMB S4 experiment can effectively constrain the properties of reionization by measuring the signal on degree scales. The signal amplitude depends on the properties of the structure determining the reionization morphology. We describe bubbles having radii distributed log-normally. The expected S/N is sensitive to the mean bubble radius: R̄=5 Mpc implies S/N ≈ 4, R̄=10 Mpc implies S/N ≈ 20. The spread of the radii distribution strongly affects the integrated SNR, that changes by a factor of 102 when σlnr goes from ln  2 to ln 3. Future CMB experiments will thus place important constraints on the physics of reionization.

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Survey requirements and mission design

Future observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation have the potential to answer some of the most fundamental questions of modern physics and cosmology, including: what physical process gave birth to the Universe we see today? What are the dark matter and dark energy that seem to constitute 95% of the energy density of the Universe? Do we need extensions to the standard model of particle physics and fundamental interactions? Is the ΛCDM cosmological scenario correct, or are we missing an essential piece of the puzzle? In this paper, we list the requirements for a future CMB polarisation survey addressing these scientific objectives, and discuss the design drivers of the COREmfive space mission proposed to ESA in answer to the “M5” call for a medium-sized mission. The rationale and options, and the methodologies used to assess the mission's performance, are of interest to other future CMB mission design studies. COREmfive has 19 frequency channels, distributed over a broad frequency range, spanning the 60–600 GHz interval, to control astrophysical foreground emission. The angular resolution ranges from 2′ to 18′, and the aggregate CMB sensitivity is about 2 μK⋅arcmin. The observations are made with a single integrated focal-plane instrument, consisting of an array of 2100 cryogenically-cooled, linearly-polarised detectors at the focus of a 1.2-m aperture cross-Dragone telescope. The mission is designed to minimise all sources of systematic effects, which must be controlled so that no more than 10−4 of the intensity leaks into polarisation maps, and no more than about 1% of E-type polarisation leaks into B-type modes. COREmfive observes the sky from a large Lissajous orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point on an orbit that offers stable observing conditions and avoids contamination from sidelobe pick-up of stray radiation originating from the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The entire sky is observed repeatedly during four years of continuous scanning, with a combination of three rotations of the spacecraft over different timescales. With about 50% of the sky covered every few days, this scan strategy provides the mitigation of systematic effects and the internal redundancy that are needed to convincingly extract the primordial B-mode signal on large angular scales, and check with adequate sensitivity the consistency of the observations in several independent data subsets. COREmfive is designed as a “near-ultimate” CMB polarisation mission which, for optimal complementarity with ground-based observations, will perform the observations that are known to be essential to CMB polarisation science and cannot be obtained by any other means than a dedicated space mission. It will provide well-characterised, highly-redundant multi-frequency observations of polarisation at all the scales where foreground emission and cosmic variance dominate the final uncertainty for obtaining precision CMB science, as well as 2′ angular resolution maps of high-frequency foreground emission in the 300–600 GHz frequency range, essential for complementarity with future ground-based observations with large telescopes that can observe the CMB with the same beamsize.

Mitigating Complex Dust Foregrounds in Future Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Experiments

Abstract Polarized Galactic foregrounds are one of the primary sources of systematic error in measurements of the B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Experiments are becoming increasingly sensitive to complexities in the foreground frequency spectra that are not captured by standard parametric models, potentially affecting our ability to efficiently separate out these components. Employing a suite of dust models encompassing a variety of physical effects, we simulate observations of a future seven-band CMB experiment to assess the impact of these complexities on parametric component separation. We identify configurations of frequency bands that minimize the “model errors” caused by fitting simple parametric models to more complex “true” foreground spectra, which bias the inferred CMB signal. We find that: (a) fits employing a simple two-parameter modified blackbody (MBB) dust model tend to produce significant bias in the recovered polarized CMB signal in the presence of physically realistic dust foregrounds; (b) generalized MBB models with three additional parameters reduce this bias in most cases, but non-negligible biases can remain, and can be hard to detect; (c) line-of-sight effects, which give rise to frequency decorrelation, and the presence of iron grains are the most problematic complexities in the dust emission for recovering the true CMB signal. More sophisticated simulations will be needed to demonstrate that future CMB experiments can successfully mitigate these more physically realistic dust foregrounds.

POLOCALC: A Novel Method to Measure the Absolute Polarization Orientation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

We describe a novel method to measure the absolute orientation of the polarization plane of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons with arcsecond accuracy, enabling unprecedented measurements for cosmology and fundamental physics. Existing and planned CMB polarization instruments looking for primordial B-mode signals need an independent, experimental method for systematics control on the absolute polarization orientation. The lack of such a method limits the accuracy of the detection of inflationary gravitational waves, the constraining power on the neutrino sector through measurements of gravitational lensing of the CMB, the possibility of detecting Cosmic Birefringence (CB), and the ability to measure primordial magnetic fields. Sky signals used for calibration and direct measurements of the detector orientation cannot provide an accuracy better than 1[Formula: see text]. Self-calibration methods provide better accuracy, but may be affected by foreground signals and rely heavily on model assumptions, losing constraining power on fundamental processes, like CB, Faraday Rotation and chiral gravity models. The POLarization Orientation CALibrator for Cosmology, POLOCALC, will dramatically improve instrumental accuracy by means of an artificial calibration source flying on high-altitude balloons and aerial drones. Polarization angle calibration requires observation of a well-characterized distant source at high elevation angles. A balloon-borne calibrator will provide a source in the far field of larger telescopes, while an aerial drone can be used for tests and smaller polarimeters. POLOCALC will also allow a unique method to measure the telescopes’ polarized beam. Even a two-hour balloon flight will allow enough time to perform polarization angle calibration and polarized beam function measurements. The source will make use of both narrow and broadband microwave emitters between 40[Formula: see text]GHz and 150[Formula: see text]GHz coupled to precise polarizing filters. The orientation of the source polarization plane will be registered to absolute celestial coordinates by star cameras and gyroscopes with arcsecond accuracy. This project can become a rung in the calibration ladder for the field: any existing or future CMB polarization experiment observing our novel polarization calibrator will enable measurements of the polarization angle for each detector with respect to absolute sky coordinates.

Scale invariance of the primordial tensor power spectrum

Future cosmic microwave background polarization experiments will search for evidence of primordial tensor modes at large angular scales, in the multipole range $4 \leq \ell \leq 50.$ Because in that range there is some mild evidence of departures from scale invariance in the power spectrum of primordial curvature perturbations, one may wonder about the possibility of similar deviations appearing in the primordial power spectrum of tensor modes. Here we address this issue and analyze the possible presence of features in the tensor spectrum resulting from the dynamics of primordial fluctuations during inflation. We derive a general, model independent, relation linking features in the spectra of curvature and tensor perturbations. We conclude that even with large deviations from scale invariance in the curvature power spectrum, the tensor spectrum remains scale invariant for all observational purposes.

Models of the Primordial Standard Clock

Oscillating massive fields in the primordial universe can be used as Standard Clocks. The ticks of these oscillations induce features in the density perturbations, which directly record the time evolution of the scale factor of the primordial universe, thus if detected, provide a direct evidence for the inflation scenario or the alternatives. In this paper, we construct a full inflationary model of primordial Standard Clock and study its predictions on the density perturbations. This model provides a full realization of several key features proposed previously. We compare the theoretical predictions from inflation and alternative scenarios with the Planck 2013 temperature data on Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), and identify a statistically marginal but interesting candidate. We discuss how future CMB temperature and polarization data, non-Gaussianity analysis and Large Scale Structure data may be used to further test or constrain the Standard Clock signals.

Naturally large tensor-to-scalar ratio in inflation

Recently, BICEP2 measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) $B$-mode polarization at degree angular scales has indicated the presence of tensor modes with a high tensor-to-scalar ratio of $r=0.2$ when assuming nearly scale-invariant tensor and scalar spectra, although the signal may be contaminated by dust emission as implied by the recent {\em Planck} polarization data. This result is in conflict with the {\em Planck} best-fit Lambda Cold Dark Model with $r<0.11$. Due to the fact that inflaton has to be interacting with other fields so as to convert its potential energy into radiation to reheat the Universe, the interacting inflaton may result in a suppression of the scalar spectrum at large scales. This suppression has been used to explain the observed low quadrupole in the CMB anisotropy. In this paper, we show that a combination of the tensor modes measured by BICEP2 and the large-scale suppressed scalar modes contributes to the CMB anisotropy in such a way that the resultant CMB anisotropy and polarization power spectra are consistent with both {\em Planck} and BICEP2 data. We also project our findings to cases in which $r$ may become reduced in future CMB polarization measurements.

Evidence for Bouncing Evolution Before Inflation After BICEP2

The BICEP2 Collaboration reports a detection of primordial cosmic microwave background (CMB) B mode with a tensor-to-scalar ratio r = 0.20(-0.05)(+0.07) (68% C.L.). However, this result disagrees with the recent Planck limit r < 0.11 (95% C.L.) on constraining inflation models. In this Letter we consider an inflationary cosmology with a preceding nonsingular bounce, which gives rise to observable signatures on primordial perturbations. One interesting phenomenon is that both the primordial scalar and tensor modes can have a step feature on their power spectra, which nicely cancels the tensor excess power on the CMB temperature power spectrum. By performing a global analysis, we obtain the 68% C.L. constraints on the parameters of the model from the Planck+WP and BICEP2 data together: the jump scale log(10)(k(B)/Mpc(-1)) = -2.4 ± 0.2 and the spectrum amplitude ratio of bounce to inflation r(B) ≡ P(m)/A(s) = 0.71 ± 0.09. Our result reveals that the bounce inflation scenario can simultaneously explain the Planck and BICEP2 observations better than the standard cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant, and can be verified by future CMB polarization measurements.

New operator approach to the CMB aberration kernels in harmonic space

Aberration kernels describe how harmonic-space multipole coefficients of cosmic microwave background (CMB) observables transform under Lorentz boosts of the reference frame. For spin-weighted CMB observables, transforming like the CMB temperature (i.e. Doppler weight $d = 1$), we show that the aberration kernels are the matrix elements of a unitary boost operator in harmonic space. Algebraic properties of the rotation and boost generators then give simple, exact recursion relations that allow us to raise or lower the multipole quantum numbers $\ell$ and $m$, and the spin weight $s$. Further recursion relations express kernels of other Doppler weights $d \neq 1$ in terms of the $d = 1$ kernels. From those we show that on the full sky, to all orders in $\beta=v/c$, $E$- and $B$-mode polarization observables do not mix under aberration if and only if $d = 1$. The new relations, fully non-linear in the boost velocity $\beta$, form the basis of a practical recursive algorithm to accurately compute any aberration kernel. In addition, we develop a second, fast algorithm in which aberration kernels are obtained using a set of ordinary differential equations. This system can also be approximately solved at small scales, providing simple asymptotic formulae for the aberration kernels. The results of this work will be useful for further studying the effect of aberration on future CMB temperature and polarization analysis, and might provide a basis for relativistic radiative transfer schemes.

Dielectrically embedded flat mesh lens for millimeter waves applications

A flat lens based on subwavelength periodic metal meshes has been developed using photolithographic techniques. These mesh grids are stacked at specific distances and embedded in polypropylene. A code was developed to optimize more than 1000 transmission line circuits required to vary the device phase shift across the lens flat surface, mimicking the behavior of a classical lens. A W-band mesh-lens prototype was successfully manufactured and its RF performance characterized using a vector network analyzer coupled to corrugated horn antennas. Co-polarization far-field beam patterns were measured and compared with finite-element method models. The excellent agreement between data and simulations validated our designing tools and manufacturing procedures. This mesh lens is a low-loss, robust, light, and compact device that has many potential applications including millimeter wave quasi-optical systems for future cosmic microwave background polarization instruments.

Constraints on the Fundamental String Coupling fromB-Mode Experiments

We study signatures of cosmic superstring networks containing strings of multiple tensions and Y junctions, on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization spectra. Focusing on the crucial role of the string coupling constant g(s), we show that the number density and energy density of the scaling network are dominated by different types of string in the g(s) ~ 1 and g(s) ≪ 1 limits. This can lead to an observable shift in the position of the B-mode peak--a distinct signal leading to a direct constraint on g(s). We forecast the joint bounds on g(s) and the fundamental string tension μ(F) from upcoming and future CMB polarization experiments, as well as the signal to noise in detecting the difference between B-mode signals in the limiting cases of large and small g(s). We show that such a detectable shift is within reach of planned experiments.

W-band prototype of platelet feed-horn array for CMB polarisation measurements

We present the design and performance of a 2x2 prototype arrayof corrugated feed-horns in W-band. The module is fabricated using a so-called ``platelet'' technique by milling Aluminum plates. This technique is suitable for low-cost and scalable high performance applications. Room temperature Return Loss measurements show a low ( < −30 dB) reflection over a 30% bandwidth with a maximum matching of -42 dB at 100 GHz for all four antennas. Beam pattern measurements indicate good repeatability and a low (-25 dB) sidelobe and crosspolarisation levels. This work is particularly relevant for future Cosmic Microwave Background polarisation measurements, which require large microwave cryogenic detector arrays coupled to high performance corrugated feed horns.

Future CMB Polarization Measurements and Japanese Contributions

Current status and future plans of a new experimental cosmology group at KEK are described. The group was formed in December 2007. Its primary goal is to measure polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) with unprecedented precision, which will provide unique pieces of information about inflation of the universe. To this end, the KEK CMB group is currently involved in two ground-based projects, QUIET and POLARBEAR. To go beyond these ground-based experiments, a dedicated satellite mission will be needed. Design studies for a small satellite named LiteBIRD is ongoing at KEK and JAXA as a collaborative effort with other institutions.