Microwave background bispectrum. II. A probe of the low redshift universe - art. no. 103002

Citation
Dm. Goldberg et Dn. Spergel, Microwave background bispectrum. II. A probe of the low redshift universe - art. no. 103002, PHYS REV D, 5910(10), 1999, pp. 3002
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICAL REVIEW D
ISSN journal
05562821 → ACNP
Volume
5910
Issue
10
Year of publication
1999
Database
ISI
SICI code
0556-2821(19990515)5910:10<3002:MBBIAP>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Gravitational fluctuations along the line of sight from the surface of last scatter to the observer distort the microwave background in several relate d ways: The fluctuations deflect the photon path (gravitational lensing), t he decay of the gravitational potential produces additional fluctuations (I SW effect) and scattering off of hot gas in clusters produce additional flu ctuations (Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect). Even if the initial fluctuations gen erated at the surface of last scatter were Gaussian, the combination of the se effects produces non-Gaussian features in the microwave sky. We discuss the microwave bispectrum as a tool for measuring and studying this signal. For MAP, we estimate that these measurements will enable us to determine th e fraction of ionized gas and to probe the time evolution of the gravitatio nal potential. [S0556-2821(99)01210-2].