Probing primordial features with next-generation photometric and radio surveys

TL;DR

Future photometric and radio surveys could significantly improve constraints on primordial fluctuation features, potentially confirming new early Universe phases with high confidence.

Contribution

This study forecasts the ability of next-generation surveys to detect and distinguish primordial features beyond current CMB constraints using Fisher analysis.

Findings

Next-generation surveys can test inflationary models with better sensitivity than current CMB experiments.

Synergy between galaxy and CMB observations enhances model constraints.

SKA continuum survey could confirm a new early Universe phase at over 3σ significance.

Abstract

We investigate the possibility of using future photometric and radio surveys to constrain the power spectrum of primordial fluctuations that is predicted by inflationary models with a violation of the slow-roll phase. We forecast constraints with a Fisher analysis on the amplitude of the parametrized features on ultra-large scales, in order to assess whether these could be distinguishable over the cosmic variance. We find that the next generation of photometric and radio surveys has the potential to test these models at a sensitivity better than current CMB experiments and that the synergy between galaxy and CMB observations is able to constrain models with many extra parameters. In particular, an SKA continuum survey with a huge sky coverage and a flux threshold of a few $\mu$Jy could confirm the presence of a new phase in the early Universe at more than 3$\sigma$.