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Author Gerbino, M.; Freese, K.; Vagnozzi, S.; Lattanzi, M.; Mena, O.; Giusarma, E.; Ho, S.
Title (down) Impact of neutrino properties on the estimation of inflationary parameters from current and future observations Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 95 Issue 4 Pages 043512 - 22pp
Keywords
Abstract We study the impact of assumptions about neutrino properties on the estimation of inflationary parameters from cosmological data, with a specific focus on the allowed contours in the n(s)/r plane, where n(s) is the scalar spectral index and r is the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We study the following neutrino properties: (i) the total neutrino mass M-i = Sigma(i)m(i) (where the index i = 1, 2, 3 runs over the three neutrino mass eigenstates); (ii) the number of relativistic degrees of freedom N-eff at the time of recombination; and (iii) the neutrino hierarchy. Whereas previous literature assumed three degenerate neutrino masses or two massless neutrino species (approximations that clearly do not match neutrino oscillation data), we study the cases of normal and inverted hierarchy. Our basic result is that these three neutrino properties induce < 1 sigma shift of the probability contours in the n(s)/r plane with both current or upcoming data. We find that the choice of neutrino hierarchy (normal, inverted, or degenerate) has a negligible impact. However, the minimal cutoff on the total neutrino mass M-v,M-min = 0 that accompanies previous works using the degenerate hierarchy does introduce biases in the n(s)/r plane and should be replaced by M-v,M-min = 0.059 eV as required by oscillation data. Using current cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from Planck and Bicep/Keck, marginalizing over the total neutrino mass M-v and over r can lead to a shift in the mean value of ns of similar to 0.3 sigma toward lower values. However, once baryon acoustic oscillation measurements are included, the standard contours in the n(s)/r plane are basically reproduced. Larger shifts of the contours in the n(s)/r plane (up to 0.8 sigma) arise for nonstandard values of N-eff. We also provide forecasts for the future CMB experiments Cosmic Origins Explorer (COrE, satellite) and Stage-IV (ground-based) and show that the incomplete knowledge of neutrino properties, taken into account by a marginalization over M-v, could induce a shift of similar to 0.4 sigma toward lower values in the determination of ns (or a similar to 0.8 sigma shift if one marginalizes over N-eff). Comparison to specific inflationary models is shown. Imperfect knowledge of neutrino properties must be taken into account properly, given the desired precision in determining whether or not inflationary models match the future data.
Address [Gerbino, Martina; Freese, Katherine; Vagnozzi, Sunny] Stockholm Univ, Dept Phys, Oskar Klein Ctr Cosmoparticle Phys, AlbaNova, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden, Email: martina.gerbino@fysik.su.se;
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2470-0010 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000427057900001 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 3514
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Author Pandolfi, S.; Giusarma, E.; Kolb, E.W.; Lattanzi, M.; Melchiorri, A.; Mena, O.; Pena, M.; Cooray, A.; Serra, P.
Title (down) Impact of general reionization scenarios on extraction of inflationary parameters Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 82 Issue 12 Pages 123527 - 10pp
Keywords
Abstract Determination of whether the Harrison-Zel'dovich spectrum for primordial scalar perturbations is consistent with observations is sensitive to assumptions about the reionization scenario. In light of this result, we revisit constraints on inflationary models using more general reionization scenarios. While the bounds on the tensor-to-scalar ratio are largely unmodified, when different reionization schemes are addressed, hybrid models are back into the inflationary game. In the general reionization picture, we reconstruct both the shape and amplitude of the inflaton potential. We discuss how relaxing the simple reionization restriction affects the reconstruction of the potential through the changes in the constraints on the spectral index, the tensor-to-scalar ratio and the running of the spectral index. We also find that the inclusion of other Cosmic Microwave Background data in addition to the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy probe data excludes the very flat potentials typical of models in which the inflationary evolution reaches a late-time attractor, as a consequence of the fact that the running of the spectral index is constrained to be different from zero at 99% confidence level.
Address [Pandolfi, Stefania; Lattanzi, Massimiliano; Melchiorri, Alessandro] Univ Roma La Sapienza, Dept Phys, I-00185 Rome, Italy
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes ISI:000286744800007 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 530
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Author Pandolfi, S.; Cooray, A.; Giusarma, E.; Kolb, E.W.; Melchiorri, A.; Mena, O.; Serra, P.
Title (down) Harrison-Zel'dovich primordial spectrum is consistent with observations Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 81 Issue 12 Pages 123509 - 6pp
Keywords
Abstract Inflation predicts primordial scalar perturbations with a nearly scale-invariant spectrum and a spectral index approximately unity [the Harrison-Zel'dovich (HZ) spectrum]. The first important step for inflationary cosmology is to check the consistency of the HZ primordial spectrum with current observations. Recent analyses have claimed that a HZ primordial spectrum is excluded at more than 99% c. l. Here we show that the HZ spectrum is only marginally disfavored if one considers a more general reionization scenario. Data from the Planck mission will settle the issue.
Address [Pandolfi, Stefania] Univ Roma La Sapienza, ICRA, I-00185 Rome, Italy
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes ISI:000278555900003 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ elepoucu @ Serial 426
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Author Boubekeur, L.; Giusarma, E.; Mena, O.; Ramirez, H.
Title (down) Do current data prefer a nonminimally coupled inflaton? Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 91 Issue 10 Pages 103004 - 6pp
Keywords
Abstract We examine the impact of a nonminimal coupling of the inflaton to the Ricci scalar, 1/2 xi R phi(2), on the inflationary predictions. Such a nonminimal coupling is expected to be present in the inflaton Lagrangian on fairly general grounds. As a case study, we focus on the simplest inflationary model governed by the potential V proportional to phi(2), using the latest combined 2015 analysis of Planck and the BICEP2/Keck Array. We find that the presence of a coupling xi is favored at a significance of 99% C.L., assuming that nature has chosen the potential V proportional to phi(2) to generate the primordial perturbations and a number of e-foldings N = 60. Within the context of the same scenario, we find that the value of xi is different from zero at the 2 sigma level. When considering the cross-correlation polarization spectra from the BICEP2/Keck Array and Planck, a value of r = 0.038(-0.030)(+0.039) is predicted in this particular nonminimally coupled scenario. Future cosmological observations may therefore test these values of r and verify or falsify the nonminimally coupled model explored here.
Address [Boubekeur, Lotfi; Mena, Olga; Ramirez, Hector] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000354979300001 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2237
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Author Archidiacono, M.; Giusarma, E.; Melchiorri, A.; Mena, O.
Title (down) Dark radiation in extended cosmological scenarios Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 86 Issue 4 Pages 043509 - 7pp
Keywords
Abstract Recent cosmological data have provided evidence for a “dark” relativistic background at high statistical significance. Parameterized in terms of the number of relativistic degrees of freedom N-eff, however, the current data seem to indicate a higher value than the one expected in the standard scenario based on three active neutrinos. This dark radiation component can be characterized not only by its abundance but also by its clustering properties, as its effective sound speed and its viscosity parameter. It is therefore crucial to study the correlations among the dark radiation properties and key cosmological parameters, as the dark energy equation of state or the running of the scalar spectral index, with current and future cosmic microwave background data. We find that dark radiation with viscosity parameters different from their standard values may be misinterpreted as an evolving dark energy component or as a running spectral index in the power spectrum of primordial fluctuations.
Address [Archidiacono, Maria; Melchiorri, Alessandro] Univ Roma La Sapienza, Dept Phys, I-00185 Rome, Italy
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000307276500002 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1122
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Author Diamanti, R.; Giusarma, E.; Mena, O.; Archidiacono, M.; Melchiorri, A.
Title (down) Dark radiation and interacting scenarios Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 87 Issue 6 Pages 063509 - 8pp
Keywords
Abstract An extra dark radiation component can be present in the universe in the form of sterile neutrinos, axions or other very light degrees of freedom which may interact with the dark matter sector. We derive here the cosmological constraints on the dark radiation abundance, on its effective velocity and on its viscosity parameter from current data in dark radiation-dark matter coupled models. The cosmological bounds on the number of extra dark radiation species do not change significantly when considering interacting schemes. We also find that the constraints on the dark radiation effective velocity are degraded by an order of magnitude while the errors on the viscosity parameter are a factor of two larger when considering interacting scenarios. If future Cosmic Microwave Background data are analyzed assuming a noninteracting model but the dark radiation and the dark matter sectors interact in nature, the reconstructed values for the effective velocity and for the viscosity parameter will be shifted from their standard 1/3 expectation, namely c(eff)(2) = 0.34(-0.003)(+0.006) and c(vis)(2) = 0.29(-0.001)(+0.002) at 95% C.L. for the future COrE mission data.
Address [Diamanti, Roberta] Univ Roma Tre, Dept Phys, I-00146 Rome, Italy
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000315739200004 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1349
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Author Di Valentino, E.; Gariazzo, S.; Gerbino, M.; Giusarma, E.; Mena, O.
Title (down) Dark radiation and inflationary freedom after Planck 2015 Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 93 Issue 8 Pages 083523 - 28pp
Keywords
Abstract The simplest inflationary models predict a primordial power spectrum (PPS) of the curvature fluctuations that can be described by a power-law function that is nearly scale invariant. It has been shown, however, that the low-multipole spectrum of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies may hint at the presence of some features in the shape of the scalar PPS, which could deviate from its canonical power-law form. We study the possible degeneracies of this nonstandard PPS with the active neutrino masses, the effective number of relativistic species, and a sterile neutrino or a thermal axion mass. The limits on these additional parameters are less constraining in a model with a nonstandard PPS when including only the temperature autocorrelation spectrum measurements in the data analyses. The inclusion of the polarization spectra noticeably helps in reducing the degeneracies, leading to results that typically show no deviation from the Lambda CDM model with a standard power-law PPS. These findings are robust against changes in the function describing the noncanonical PPS. Albeit current cosmological measurements seem to prefer the simple power-law PPS description, the statistical significance to rule out other possible parametrizations is still very poor. Future cosmological measurements are crucial to improve the present PPS uncertainties.
Address [Di Valentino, Eleonora] Inst Astrophys Paris, CNRS, UMR7095, F-75014 Paris, France, Email: valentin@iap.fr
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2470-0010 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000374960700001 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2644
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Boubekeur, L.; Giusarma, E.; Mena, O.; Ramirez, H.
Title (down) Current status of modified gravity Type Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 90 Issue 10 Pages 103512 - 10pp
Keywords
Abstract We revisit the cosmological viability of the Hu-Sawicki modified gravity scenario. The impact of such a modification on the different cosmological observables, including gravitational waves, is carefully described. The most recent cosmological data, as well as constraints on the relationship between the clustering parameter sigma(8) and the current matter mass-energy density Omega(m) from cluster number counts and weak lensing tomography, are considered in our numerical calculations. The strongest bound we find is vertical bar f(R0)vertical bar < 3.7 x 10(-6) at 95% C.L. Forthcoming cluster surveys covering 10 000 deg(2) in the sky, with galaxy surface densities of O(10) arcmin(-2) could improve the precision in the sigma(8)-Omega(m) relationship, tightening the above constraint.
Address [Boubekeur, Lotfi; Mena, Olga; Ramirez, Hector] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1550-7998 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000345534500005 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2017
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Di Valentino, E.; Giusarma, E.; Mena, O.; Melchiorri, A.; Silk, J.
Title (down) Cosmological limits on neutrino unknowns versus low redshift priors Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Physical Review D Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. D
Volume 93 Issue 8 Pages 083527 - 11pp
Keywords
Abstract Recent cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements from the Planck mission have significantly improved previous constraints on the neutrino masses as well as the bounds on extended models with massless or massive sterile neutrino states. However, due to parameter degeneracies, additional low redshift priors are mandatory in order to sharpen the CMB neutrino bounds. We explore here the role of different priors on low redshift quantities, such as the Hubble constant, the cluster mass bias, and the reionization optical depth tau. Concerning current priors on the Hubble constant and the cluster mass bias, the bounds on the neutrino parameters may differ appreciably depending on the choices adopted in the analyses. With regard to future improvements in the priors on the reionization optical depth, a value of tau = 0.05 +/- 0.01, motivated by astrophysical estimates of the reionization redshift, would lead to Sigma m(nu) < 0.0926 eV at 90% C.L., when combining the full Planck measurements, baryon acoustic oscillation, and Planck clusters data, thereby opening the window to unravel the neutrino mass hierarchy with existing cosmological probes.
Address [Di Valentino, Eleonora; Silk, Joseph] CNRS, Inst Astrophys Paris, UMR7095, F-75014 Paris, France
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2470-0010 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000375203600002 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2643
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Di Valentino, E.; Giusarma, E.; Lattanzi, M.; Mena, O.; Melchiorri, A.; Silk, J.
Title (down) Cosmological axion and neutrino mass constraints from Planck 2015 temperature and polarization data Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Physics Letters B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Lett. B
Volume 752 Issue Pages 182-185
Keywords
Abstract Axions currently provide the most compelling solution to the strong CP problem. These particles may be copiously produced in the early universe, including via thermal processes. Therefore, relic axions constitute a hot dark matter component and their masses are strongly degenerate with those of the three active neutrinos, as they leave identical signatures in the different cosmological observables. In addition, thermal axions, while still relativistic states, also contribute to the relativistic degrees of freedom, parameterized via N-eff. We present the cosmological bounds on the relic axion and neutrino masses, exploiting the full Planck mission data, which include polarization measurements. In the mixed hot dark matter scenario explored here, we find the tightest and more robust constraint to date on the sum of the three active neutrino masses, Sigma m nu < 0.136eV at 95% CL, as it is obtained in the very well-known linear perturbation regime. The Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster number count data further tightens this bound, providing a 95% CL upper limit of Sigma m nu < 0.126 eV in this very same mixed hot dark matter model, a value which is very close to the expectations in the inverted hierarchical neutrino mass scenario. Using this same combination of data sets we find the most stringent bound to date on the thermal axion mass, m(a) < 0.529 eV at 95% CL.
Address [Di Valentino, Eleonora; Silk, Joseph] CNRS, UMR7095, Inst Astrophys Paris, F-75014 Paris, France, Email: elena.giusarma@roma1.infn.it
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Elsevier Science Bv Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0370-2693 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000368026000026 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2524
Permanent link to this record