A note on the birefringence angle estimation in CMB data analysis

Abstract

Parity violating physics beyond the standard model of particle physics induces a rotation of the linear polarization of photons. This effect, also known as cosmological birefringence (CB), can be tested with the observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies which are linearly polarized at the level of $5-10\%$. In particular CB produces non-null CMB cross correlations between temperature and B mode-polarization, and between E- and B-mode polarization. Here we study the properties of the so called D-estimators, often used to constrain such an effect. After deriving the framework of both frequentist and Bayesian analysis, we discuss the interplay between birefringence and weak-lensing, which, albeit parity conserving, modifies pre-existing TB and EB cross correlation.

12 pages. Accepted for publication in JCAP

References in corpus (16)

• Seven-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Cosmological Interpretation
• Nine-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Cosmological Parameter Results
• Cosmological Signature of New Parity-Violating Interactions
• Lensed CMB power spectra from all-sky correlation functions
• Rotation of Linear Polarization Plane and Circular Polarization from Cosmological Pseudoscalar Fields
• Testing Parity-Violating Mechanisms with Cosmic Microwave Background Experiments
• Parity violation constraints using 2006-2007 QUaD CMB polarization spectra
• Effect on cosmic microwave background polarization of coupling of quintessence to pseudoscalar formed from the electromagnetic field and its dual
• Gravitational Leptogenesis and Its Signatures in CMB
• Cosmological CPT violating effect on CMB polarization
• Self-Calibration of BICEP1 Three-Year Data and Constraints on Astrophysical Polarization Rotation
• Precision Tests of Parity Violation Over Cosmological Distances
• WMAP 7 year constraints on CPT violation from large angle CMB anisotropies
• Including birefringence into time evolution of CMB: current and future constraints
• Cosmic Polarization Rotation: an Astrophysical Test of Fundamental Physics
• An efficient probe of the cosmological CPT violation

Cited by in corpus (10)

• New physics from the polarised light of the cosmic microwave background
• Axion Dark Matter Detection with CMB Polarization
• Improved Constraints on Cosmic Birefringence from the WMAP and Planck Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Data
• The large scale polarization explorer (LSPE) for CMB measurements: performance forecast
• Planck 2018 constraints on anisotropic birefringence and its cross-correlation with CMB anisotropy
• Redshift evolution of cosmic birefringence in CMB anisotropies
• Planck constraints on cross-correlations between anisotropic cosmic birefringence and CMB polarization
• Cosmic Birefringence: Cross-Spectra and Cross-Bispectra with CMB Anisotropies
• Probing large-scale magnetism with the Cosmic Microwave Background
• In-flight polarization angle calibration for LiteBIRD: blind challenge and cosmological implications