## [astro-ph/0503103] Elliptic CMB Sky

 Authors: V.G.Gurzadyan, P. de Bernardis, G. De Troia, C.L.Bianco, A.L.Kashin, H.Kuloghlian, S.Masi, F.Piacentini, G.Polenta, G.Yegorian Abstract: The ellipticity of the anisotropy spots of the Cosmic Microwave Background measured by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) has been studied. We find an average ellipticity of about 2, confirming with a far larger statistics similar results found first for the COBE-DMR CMB maps, and then for the BOOMERanG CMB maps. There are no preferred directions for the obliquity of the anisotropy spots. The average ellipticity is independent of temperature threshold and is present on scales both smaller and larger than the horizon at the last scattering. The measured ellipticity characteristics are consistent with being the effect of geodesics mixing occurring in an hyperbolic Universe, and can mark the emergence of CMB ellipticity as a new observable constant describing the Universe. [PDF]  [PS]  [BibTex]  [Bookmark]

Discussion related to specific recent arXiv papers
Anze Slosar
Posts: 183
Joined: September 24 2004
Affiliation: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Contact:

### [astro-ph/0503103] Elliptic CMB Sky

I've seen a few papers on this theme (all by the same first author) and I am more or less puzzled about what exactly is going on:
• Are they trying to tell us that they have detected non-gaussianity?
• Are they trying to tell us that Flat Lambda CDM is incosistent with WMAP and that we need $\Omega_k>0$? By how much?