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Abstract:

We present a map and an angular power spectrum of the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from the first flight of MAXIMA. MAXIMA is a balloon-borne experiment with an array of 16 bolometric photometers operated at 100 mK. MAXIMA observed a 124 square degrees region of the sky with 10 arcminute resolution at frequencies of 150, 240 and 410 GHz. The data were calibrated using in-flight measurements of the CMB dipole anisotropy. A map of the CMB anisotropy was produced from three 150 and one 240 GHz photometer without need for foreground subtractions. Analysis of this CMB map yields a power spectrum for the CMB anisotropy over the range 36 < l < 785. The spectrum shows a peak with an amplitude of 78 +/- 6 micro-Kelvin at l ~ 220 and an amplitude varying between ~40 micro-Kelvin and ~50 micro-Kelvin for 400 < l < 785.

Abstract:

We discuss how measurements of the absorption of $γ$-rays from GeV to TeV energies via pair production on the extragalactic background light (EBL) can probe important issues in galaxy formation. We use semi-analytic models (SAMs) of galaxy formation, set within the hierarchical structure formation scenario, to obtain predictions of the EBL for 0.1-1000$μ$m. SAMs incorporate simplified physical treatments of the key processes of galaxy formation --- including gravitational collapse and merging of dark matter halos, gas cooling and dissipation, star formation, supernova feedback and metal production --- and have been shown to reproduce key observations at low and high redshift. Here we also introduce improved modelling of the spectral energy distributions in the mid-to-far-IR arising from emission by dust grains. Assuming a flat \lcdm cosmology with $Ω_m=0.3$ and Hubble parameter $h=0.65$, we investigate the consequences of variations in input assumptions such as the stellar initial mass function (IMF) and the efficiency of converting cold gas into stars. We conclude that observational studies of the absorption of $γ$-rays with energies from 10s of Gev to 10s of TeV will help to determine the EBL, and also help to explain its origin by constraining some of the most uncertain features of galaxy formation theory, including the IMF, the history of star formation, and the reprocessing of light by dust.

Abstract:

We show how estimates of parameters characterizing inflation-based theories of structure formation localized over the past year when large scale structure (LSS) information from galaxy and cluster surveys was combined with the rapidly developing cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, especially from the recent Boomerang and Maxima balloon experiments. All current CMB data plus a relatively weak prior probability on the Hubble constant, age and LSS points to little mean curvature (Omega_{tot} = 1.08\pm 0.06) and nearly scale invariant initial fluctuations (n_s =1.03\pm 0.08), both predictions of (non-baroque) inflation theory. We emphasize the role that degeneracy among parameters in the L_{pk} = 212\pm 7 position of the (first acoustic) peak plays in defining the $\Omega_{tot}$ range upon marginalization over other variables. Though the CDM density is in the expected range (\Omega_{cdm}h^2=0.17\pm 0.02), the baryon density Omega_bh^2=0.030\pm 0.005 is somewhat above the independent 0.019\pm 0.002 nucleosynthesis estimate. CMB+LSS gives independent evidence for dark energy (Omega_\Lambda=0.66\pm 0.06) at the same level as from supernova (SN1) observations, with a phenomenological quintessence equation of state limited by SN1+CMB+LSS to w_Q<-0.7 cf. the w_Q=-1 cosmological constant case.

Abstract:

We describe the implications of cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations and galaxy and cluster surveys of large scale structure (LSS) for theories of cosmic structure formation, especially emphasizing the recent Boomerang and Maxima CMB balloon experiments. The inflation-based cosmic structure formation paradigm we have been operating with for two decades has never been in better shape. Here we primarily focus on a simplified inflation parameter set, {omega_b,omega_{cdm},Omega_{tot}, Omega_Λ,n_s,τ_C, σ_8}. Combining all of the current CMB+LSS data points to the remarkable conclusion that the local Hubble patch we can access has little mean curvature (Omega_{tot}=1.08\pm 0.06) and the initial fluctuations were nearly scale invariant (n_s=1.03\pm 0.08), both predictions of (non-baroque) inflation theory. The baryon density is found to be slightly larger than that preferred by independent Big Bang Nucleosynthesis estimates (omega_b=0.030\pm 0.005 cf. 0.019\pm 0.002). The CDM density is in the expected range (omega_{cdm}=0.17 \pm 0.02). Even stranger is the CMB+LSS evidence that the density of the universe is dominated by unclustered energy akin to the cosmological constant (Omega_Λ=0.66\pm 0.06), at the same level as that inferred from high redshift supernova observations. We also sketch the CMB+LSS implications for massive neutrinos.