Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies and extra dimensions in String Cosmology

Abstract

A recently proposed mechanism for large-scale structure in string cosmology --based on massless axionic seeds-- is further analyzed and extended to the acoustic-peak region. Existence, structure, and normalization of the peaks turn out to depend crucially on the overall evolution of extra dimensions during the pre-big bang phase: conversely, precise cosmic microwave background anisotropy data in the acoustic-peak region will provide, within the next decade, a window on string-theory's extra dimensions before their eventual compactification.

4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letters