BICEP & Planck: Estimating Polarized Galactic Dust Emission

[MTd2]

To estimate polarized emission from the galactic dust, BICEP digitized an unpublished 353 GHz map shown by the Planck collaboration at a conference. However, it seems they misinterpreted the Planck results: that map shows the polarization fraction for all foregrounds, not for the galactic dust only (see the "not CIB subtracted" caveat in the slide). Once you correct for that and rescale the Planck results appropriately, some experts claim that the polarized galactic dust emission can account for most of the BICEP signal.

http://resonaances.blogspot.com.es/2014/05/is-bicep-wrong.html

http://news.sciencemag.org/physics/2014/05/blockbuster-big-bang-result-may-fizzle-rumor-suggests

 

[phyzguy]

Yes, my understanding is that the jury is still out on whether or not the BICEP signal is really B-mode polarization of the CMB. The good news is, according to a talk I saw recently, there are at least 6 more experiments that should produce results within the next 18 months. So we should know for certain in the next 1-2 years.

 

[atyy]

http://resonaances.blogspot.com.es/2014/05/follow-up-on-bicep.html