Termination shock thermal processes as a possible source for the CMB low-order multipole anomalies: updated with observations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the low-order multipole anomalies in the CMB may originate from thermal processes at the termination shock of the heliosheath, supported by Voyager data and plasma modeling.

Contribution

It introduces a novel hypothesis linking CMB anomalies to local heliospheric plasma processes, updated with recent Voyager observations.

Findings

Voyager data supports the termination shock model

Heliosheath plasma conditions can imprint CMB multipole features

Geometric shape of the termination shock influences observed anomalies

Abstract

We discuss the possibility that the observed low-order multipole features of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) all originate in the termination shock (TS) region of the heliosheath that surrounds the solar system. If the intrinsic CMB spectrum is assumed to be a pure monopole (2.73K) then thermodynamic processes occurring within the plasma region of the TS could imprint the observed power spectrum of the low-order multipoles and their alignment (the so-called "axis of evil") onto this background isotropic CMB. Conditions are outlined for the geometric shape of the TS region. A key requirement of this model is that the TS plasma be characterized as an optically thin graybody with non-LTE perturbations. Data from the ongoing Voyager missions is critical to this study. We present four significant recent observations in support of this ansatz.