A foreground-marginalized 'BK-lite' likelihood for the tensor-to-scalar ratio ...
The current limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio from the BICEP/Keck Collaboration (with r<0.036 at 95% confidence) puts pressure on early universe models, with less than 10% of the error on r attributed to uncertainty in Galactic foregrounds. We use the BICEP/Keck BK18 public multi-frequency like...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
arXiv
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2403.00085 https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.00085 |
| Summary: | The current limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio from the BICEP/Keck Collaboration (with r<0.036 at 95% confidence) puts pressure on early universe models, with less than 10% of the error on r attributed to uncertainty in Galactic foregrounds. We use the BICEP/Keck BK18 public multi-frequency likelihood to test some further assumptions made in the foreground modeling, finding little impact on the estimate for r. We then estimate foreground-marginalized cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode polarization bandpowers. We fit them with a multivariate offset-lognormal distribution and construct a marginalized 'BK-lite' likelihood for the CMB B-mode spectrum with no nuisance parameters, serving as a method demonstration for future analyses of small sky regions, for example from the South Pole Observatory or CMB-S4. ... |
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