A Cosmic Microwave Background feature consistent with a cosmic texture

TL;DR

This paper presents evidence that a prominent cold spot in the Cosmic Microwave Background may be caused by a cosmic texture, providing insights into high-energy physics and early universe conditions.

Contribution

It offers the first Bayesian analysis linking a specific CMB cold spot to a cosmic texture, constraining the symmetry breaking energy scale.

Findings

The cold spot is consistent with a cosmic texture origin.

The symmetry breaking energy scale is estimated at ~8.7 x 10^15 GeV.

Detection probes physics beyond terrestrial experiments.

Abstract

The Cosmic Microwave Background provides our most ancient image of the Universe and our best tool for studying its early evolution. Theories of high energy physics predict the formation of various types of topological defects in the very early universe, including cosmic texture which would generate hot and cold spots in the Cosmic Microwave Background. We show through a Bayesian statistical analysis that the most prominent, 5 degree radius cold spot observed in all-sky images, which is otherwise hard to explain, is compatible with having being caused by a texture. From this model, we constrain the fundamental symmetry breaking energy scale to be phi_0 ~ 8.7 x 10^(15) GeV. If confirmed, this detection of a cosmic defect will probe physics at energies exceeding any conceivable terrestrial experiment.