Can MAP and Planck map Planck physics?

TL;DR

This paper explores whether transplanckian effects during inflation can cause observable modulations in the cosmic microwave background, with potential detection prospects for MAP and Planck satellites.

Contribution

It applies a proposed primordial power spectrum modulation mechanism to inflation and assesses its detectability in CMB data from MAP and Planck.

Findings

MAP may detect transplanckian oscillations in temperature fluctuations

Planck can confirm or constrain the effects with higher precision

The effects depend on parameters related to the new physics scale

Abstract

We investigate whether a recently proposed modulation of the power spectrum of primordial density fluctuations generated through transplankian (maybe stringy) effects during inflation can be observed. We briefly review the mechanism leading to the modulation and apply it to a generic slow-roll scenario of inflation. We then investigate how these primordial modulation effects leave an imprint in the cosmic microwave background radiation. Our conclusions are that for favourable parameter values already the presently flying MAP satellite will have a chance to detect such transplanckian oscillations in the pattern of temperature fluctuations on the sky, and that the upcoming Planck satellite will either detect them or put stringent limits related to the mass scale where the new effects appear.