What is power suppression in CMB experiments?

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In summary, the results from CMB experiments show a suppression of power at large angular scales, which means that there is less variance in temperature from place to place on the sky at those scales than expected. This could be a statistical anomaly or a real effect, but one possible explanation for it, involving a specific inflation model, does not seem to work according to a new research paper.
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windy miller
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I have heard that results form CMB experiments show a suppression of power at large angular scales. Can someone explain what "suppression of power" means in laymen terms in this context?
 
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windy miller said:
I have heard that results form CMB experiments show a suppression of power at large angular scales. Can someone explain what "suppression of power" means in laymen terms in this context?
Any reference maybe ?
 
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  • #4
windy miller said:
I have heard that results form CMB experiments show a suppression of power at large angular scales. Can someone explain what "suppression of power" means in laymen terms in this context?
It means that there is less variance in temperature from place to place on the sky at those scales than expected. I'm not sure there is sufficient that this is a real effect and not just a statistical anomaly.

What this paper seems to state, judging by the abstract, is that one possible explanation for this apparent suppression of power doesn't work. I don't know the broader context of this paper, but I would guess that some theorists had previously claimed that this kind of inflation model might provide an explanation.
 
  • #5
Thanks , that is very helpful
 

What is power suppression in the CMB?

Power suppression in the CMB (cosmic microwave background) refers to the decrease in the amplitude of the temperature fluctuations in the CMB at small angular scales. This phenomenon is observed in the power spectrum of the CMB, which shows the distribution of temperature fluctuations across different angular scales.

What causes power suppression in the CMB?

The primary cause of power suppression in the CMB is the process of photon diffusion. In the early universe, photons were tightly coupled to baryonic matter and could not travel freely. As the universe expanded and cooled, the photons decoupled from the matter and began to travel freely. This diffusion process smooths out the temperature fluctuations at small scales, leading to power suppression in the CMB.

How does power suppression in the CMB affect our understanding of the universe?

Power suppression in the CMB provides important clues about the composition and evolution of the universe. The amplitude of the temperature fluctuations at small scales is affected by the amount of dark matter and dark energy in the universe, as well as by the expansion rate of the universe. Therefore, studying power suppression in the CMB can help us better understand the structure and dynamics of the universe.

Can power suppression in the CMB be used to test different cosmological models?

Yes, power suppression in the CMB is an important tool for testing and constraining different cosmological models. By comparing the observed power spectrum of the CMB with the predictions of different models, scientists can determine which model best fits the data and provides the most accurate description of the universe.

How is power suppression in the CMB measured?

Power suppression in the CMB is measured using instruments such as the Planck satellite and ground-based telescopes. These instruments map the CMB across the sky and measure the temperature fluctuations at different angular scales. The power spectrum is then calculated from these measurements, and the degree of power suppression can be determined by comparing it to theoretical predictions.

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