Another look at distortions of the Cosmic Microwave Background spectrum

Journal
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
De Zotti, G.
•
Negrello, M.
•
Castex, G.
•
Lapi, A.
•
DOI
Abstract
We review aspects of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) spectral distortions which do not appear to have been fully explored in the literature. In particular, implications of recent evidences of heating of the intergalactic medium (IGM) by feedback from active galactic nuclei are investigated. Taking also into account the IGM heating associated to structure formation, we argue that values of the y parameter of several × 10-6, i.e. a factor of a few below the COBE/FIRAS upper limit, are to be expected. The Compton scattering by the re-ionized plasma also re-processes primordial distortions, adding a y-type contribution. Hence no pure Bose-Einstein-like distortions are to be expected. An assessment of Galactic and extragalactic foregrounds, taking into account the latest results from the Planck satellite as well as the contributions from the strong CII and CO lines from star-forming galaxies, demonstrates that a foreground subtraction accurate enough to fully exploit the PIXIE sensitivity will be extremely challenging. Motivated by this fact we also discuss methods to detect spectral distortions not requiring absolute measurements and show that accurate determinations of the frequency spectrum of the CMB dipole amplitude may substantially improve over COBE/FIRAS limits on distortion parameters. Such improvements may be at reach of next generation CMB anisotropy experiments. The estimated amplitude of the Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) dipole might be detectable by careful analyses of Planck maps at the highest frequencies. Thus Planck might provide interesting constraints on the CIB intensity, currently known with a simeq 30% uncertainty.
Volume
2016
Issue
3
Start page
047
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
1475-7516
Ads BibCode
2016JCAP...03..047D
Rights
open.access
File(s)
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

edit.pdf

Description
[Administrators only]
Size

4.05 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

aab2a6b5b77b0b69854be82a15d8b06b

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

arxiv.pdf

Description
postprint
Size

3.76 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

da73d0e785c44d296c73b3007c54b3f7