Relic gravitational waves in the light of 7-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data and improved prospects for the Planck mission

TL;DR

The paper analyzes 7-year WMAP data to assess the presence of relic gravitational waves, finding increased likelihood of detection with Planck, and discusses implications for cosmological models based on these results.

Contribution

It applies and extends previous analysis methods to WMAP7 data, improving estimates of relic gravitational wave parameters and prospects for detection by Planck.

Findings

Maximum likelihood R value increased to 0.264

Detection signal-to-noise ratio for Planck reaches 4.04

Primordial spectra remain blue with increased spectral indices

Abstract

The new release of data from Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe improves the observational status of relic gravitational waves. The 7-year results enhance the indications of relic gravitational waves in the existing data and change to the better the prospects of confident detection of relic gravitational waves by the currently operating Planck satellite. We apply to WMAP7 data the same methods of analysis that we used earlier [W. Zhao, D. Baskaran, and L.P. Grishchuk, Phys. Rev. D 80, 083005 (2009)] with WMAP5 data. We also revised by the same methods our previous analysis of WMAP3 data. It follows from the examination of consecutive WMAP data releases that the maximum likelihood value of the quadrupole ratio $R$, which characterizes the amount of relic gravitational waves, increases up to $R=0.264$, and the interval separating this value from the point $R=0$ (the hypothesis of no gravitational waves) increases up to a $2\sigma$ level. The primordial spectra of density perturbations and gravitational waves remain blue in the relevant interval of wavelengths, but the spectral indices increase up to $n_s =1.111$ and $n_t=0.111$. Assuming that the maximum likelihood estimates of the perturbation parameters that we found from WMAP7 data are the true values of the parameters, we find that the signal-to-noise ratio $S/N$ for the detection of relic gravitational waves by the Planck experiment increases up to $S/N=4.04$, even under pessimistic assumptions with regard to residual foreground contamination and instrumental noises. We comment on theoretical frameworks that, in the case of success, will be accepted or decisively rejected by the Planck observations.