Confrontation of CMB data and multiconnected models of constant positive curvature universes

• Author / Creator

  Knutson, Nelson P.

• Multiconnected Universes can possibly explain the low multipole suppression observed in Cosmic Microwave Background data. We compare complete predicted correlation patterns of the temperature fluctuations in the multiconnected models with constant positive curvature to what is observed in WMAP experiment. Likelihood for three models is computed as the function of the curvature which controls the size of the multiconnected Universe relative to distance travelled by CMB photons.
  As curvature increases from zero for the Universe that is nearly flat and infinite, the size of the multiconnected space becomes smaller than photon horizon. There, predicted correlation patterns change from featureless to more complex. Our analysis gives no evidence for such small topological spaces. During transition likelihood curves for all three investigated spaces show similar features, attributed to the alignment of model correlation patterns to random features in the unique observed CMB realization, and not selective of a specific multiconnected space.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Likelihood function
  • Cosmic Microwave Background
  • Topology of the Universe
  • Method of Images
  • WMAP

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3367H

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.