Fingerprints of Galactic Loop I on the Cosmic Microwave Background

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fingerprints of Galactic Loop I on the Cosmic Microwave Background

AU - Liu, Hao

AU - Mertsch, Philipp

AU - Sarkar, Subir

PY - 2014/7/10

Y1 - 2014/7/10

N2 - We investigate possible imprints of galactic foreground structures such as the "radio loops" in the derived maps of the cosmic microwave background. Surprisingly, there is evidence for these not only at radio frequencies through their synchrotron radiation, but also at microwave frequencies where emission by dust dominates. This suggests the mechanism is magnetic dipole radiation from dust grains enriched by metallic iron or ferrimagnetic molecules. This new foreground we have identified is present at high galactic latitudes, and potentially dominates over the expected B-mode polarization signal due to primordial gravitational waves from inflation.

AB - We investigate possible imprints of galactic foreground structures such as the "radio loops" in the derived maps of the cosmic microwave background. Surprisingly, there is evidence for these not only at radio frequencies through their synchrotron radiation, but also at microwave frequencies where emission by dust dominates. This suggests the mechanism is magnetic dipole radiation from dust grains enriched by metallic iron or ferrimagnetic molecules. This new foreground we have identified is present at high galactic latitudes, and potentially dominates over the expected B-mode polarization signal due to primordial gravitational waves from inflation.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - cosmic background radiation – cosmology: observations – polarization

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/789/2/L29

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/789/2/L29

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 789

SP - L29

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2

ER -