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Scalar runnings and a test of slow roll from CMB distortions

2012/09/10 by Brian A. Powell, Powell, Brian A. · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #astro-ph.CO

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1209.2024

8 pages, 3 figures. Minor edits and typos corrected, references added. Version submitted to JCAP

openalex publication_date 2012/09/10 · arxiv created 2012/10/05 · arxiv updated 2012/10/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

A future measurement of cosmic microwave μ-distortions by an experiment with the specifications of PIXIE will provide an equivalent 3-sigma detection of the running of running of the spectral index of scalar perturbations, β= dα/dln(k), if μ> 7.75 E-8, covering much of the PIXIE sensitivity range. This corresponds to a resolution limit of β> 0.015 which is relatively large given any presumption of slow roll, a result of the current tight constraints on α< 0 on CMB scales. We show that a detection of βat this level is in conflict with slow roll conditions if the primordial signal can be distinguished from any post-inflationary contamination.

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