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Limit on the detectability of the energy scale of inflation

We show that the polarization of the cosmic microwave background can be used to detect gravity waves from inflation if the energy scale of inflation is above 2x10(15) GeV. These gravity waves generate polarization patterns with a curl, whereas (to first order in perturbation theory) density perturba...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2002-07, Vol.89 (1), p.011303-011303, Article 011303
Main Authors: Knox, Lloyd, Song, Yong-Seon
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We show that the polarization of the cosmic microwave background can be used to detect gravity waves from inflation if the energy scale of inflation is above 2x10(15) GeV. These gravity waves generate polarization patterns with a curl, whereas (to first order in perturbation theory) density perturbations do not. The limiting "noise" arises from the second-order generation of curl from density perturbations, or rather residuals from its subtraction. We calculate optimal sky coverage and detectability limits as a function of detector sensitivity and observing time.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.89.011303