Observing the Multiverse with Cosmic Wakes

TL;DR

This paper models the detailed three-dimensional shape and polarization signals of cosmic wakes from bubble collisions in the early universe, providing unique, verifiable predictions for detecting the multiverse through CMB observations.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed 3D shape and polarization predictions of cosmic wakes from bubble collisions, linking multiverse theories with observable CMB features.

Findings

Predicted distinctive polarization patterns correlated with temperature signals.

These features are unique signatures of bubble collisions in the early universe.

Potential detectability with current and future CMB experiments like Planck.

Abstract

Current theories of the origin of the Universe, including string theory, predict the existence of a multiverse containing many bubble universes. These bubble universes will generically collide, and collisions with ours produce cosmic wakes that enter our Hubble volume, appear as unusually symmetric disks in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and disturb large scale structure (LSS). There is preliminary observational evidence consistent with one or more of these disturbances on our sky. However, other sources can produce similar features in the CMB temperature map and so additional signals are needed to verify their extra-universal origin. Here we find, for the first time, the detailed three-dimensional shape and CMB temperature and polarization signals of the cosmic wake of a bubble collision in the early universe consistent with current observations. The predicted polarization pattern has distinctive features that when correlated with the corresponding temperature pattern are a unique and striking signal of a bubble collision. These features represent the first verifiable prediction of the multiverse paradigm and might be detected by current experiments such as Planck and future CMB polarization missions. A detection of a bubble collision would confirm the existence of the Multiverse, provide compelling evidence for the string theory landscape, and sharpen our picture of the Universe and its origins.