[astro-ph/0703325] Does the Universe Have a Handedness

Authors:  Michael J. Longo
Abstract:  In this article I study the distribution of spiral galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to investigate whether the universe has an overall handedness. A preference for spiral galaxies in one sector of the sky to be left-handed or right-handed spirals would indicate an asymmetry in the overall universe and a preferred axis. The SDSS data show a strong signal for such an asymmetry. Its axis seems to be strongly correlated with that of the quadrupole and octopole moments in the WMAP microwave sky survey, an unlikely alignment that has been dubbed "the axis of Evil".
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Garth Antony Barber
Posts: 59
Joined: July 19 2005
Affiliation: Published independent

[astro-ph/0703325] Does the Universe Have a Handedness

Post by Garth Antony Barber » March 14 2007

Sinister or Dexter?

Is this effect real?

Garth

Kate Land
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Affiliation: Oxford University
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[astro-ph/0703325] Does the Universe Have a Handedness

Post by Kate Land » April 03 2007

An interesting observation - but it is not clear from this paper if the handedness bias seen in the SDSS spiral galaxies is really significant. There will be some correlation between the rotation axis and handeness of nearby galaxies, and this has not been taken into account. I imagine the ~2.9 sigma result would be reduced.

The analysis has been done in the equatorial coordinates only, with results binned by RA (averages taken over declination). The signal might be stronger in a different frame...

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