[0804.2971] WMAP 5-year constraints on lepton asymmetry and radiation energy density: Implications for Planck

Authors:  L.A. Popa, A. Vasile (Institute for Spaces Sciences, Bucharest)
Abstract:  In this paper we set bounds on the radiation content of the Universe and neutrino properties by using the WMAP-5 year CMB measurements complemented with most of the existing CMB and LSS data (WMAP5+All),imposing also self-consistent BBN constraints on the primordial helium abundance. We consider lepton asymmetric cosmological models parametrized by the neutrino degeneracy parameter and the variation of the relativistic degrees of freedom, due to possible other physical processes occurred between BBN and structure formation epochs. We find that WMAP5+All data provides strong bounds on helium mass fraction and neutrino degeneracy parameter that rivals the similar bounds obtained from the conservative analysis of the present data on helium abundance. We also find a strong correlation between the matter energy density and the redshift of matter-radiation equality, z_re, showing that we observe non-zero equivalent number of relativistic neutrinos mainly via the change of the of z_re, rather than via neutrino anisotropic stress claimed by the WMAP team. We forecast that the CMB temperature and polarization measurements observed with high angular resolutions and sensitivities by the future Planck satellite will reduce the errors on these parameters down to values fully consistent with the BBN bounds.
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Vimal Simha
Posts: 13
Joined: May 11 2006
Affiliation: Ohio State University

[0804.2971] WMAP 5-year constraints on lepton asymmetry and

Post by Vimal Simha » April 26 2008

Their error bars on all cosmological parameters (table 3) while using the WMAP-5yr data seem much smaller than those reported by the WMAP team (Dunkley et al. and Komatsu et al.).

They also contest the WMAP team's claim to have detected neutrino anisotropic stress.

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