ABSTRACT Recently, ACTPol measured the cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode and E-mode polarizations and obtained TE, EE, BB, TB, and EB power spectra in the multipole range 225-8725. In our ...previous paper (Paper I), we jointly analyzed the results of three experiments on the CMB B-mode polarization-SPTpol, POLARBEAR, and BICEP2-to include in the model, in addition to the gravitational lensing and inflationary gravitational waves components, the fluctuation effects induced by cosmic polarization rotation (CPR) if it exists within the upper limits at the time. In this paper, we fit both the mean CPR angle and its fluctuation from the new ACTPol data, and update our fitting of CPR fluctuations using the BICEP2 data taking the new Planck dust measurement results into consideration. We follow the same method used in Paper I. The mean CPR angle is constrained from the EB correlation power spectra to mrad (0 8) and the fluctuation (rms) is constrained from the BB correlation power spectra to mrad (1 68). Assuming that the polarization angle of Tau A does not change from 89.2 to 146 GHz, the ACTPol data give These results suggest that the inclusion of the present ACTPol data is consistent with no CPR detection. Using the new Planck dust measurement, we update our fits of the BICEP2 CPR fluctuation constraint to be 32.8 mrad (1 88). The joint ACTPol-BICEP2-POLARBEAR CPR fluctuation constraint is 23.7 mrad (1 36).
The aim of this two-volume title is to give a comprehensive review of one hundred years of development of general relativity and its scientific influences. This unique title provides a broad ...introduction and review to the fascinating and profound subject of general relativity, its historical development, its important theoretical consequences, gravitational wave detection and applications to astrophysics and cosmology. The series focuses on five aspects of the theory: Genesis, Solutions and Energy Empirical Foundations Gravitational Waves Cosmology Quantum Gravity The first three topics are covered in Volume 1 and the remaining two are covered in Volume 2. While this is a two-volume title, it is designed so that each volume can be a standalone reference volume for the related topic.
The detection of low frequency band (100nHz–100mHz) and very low frequency band (300pHz–100nHz) gravitational waves (GWs) is important for exploration of the equation of state of dark energy and the ...co-evolution of massive black holes (MBHs) with galaxies. Most galaxies are believed to have a massive black hole in the galactic core. In the formation of these black holes, merging and accretion are the two main processes. Merging of massive black holes generate GWs which could be detected by space GW detectors and Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) to cosmological distances. LISA (Laser-Interferometric Space Antenna) is most sensitive to the frequency band 1mHz–100mHz, ASTROD-GW (ASTROD Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices optimized for Gravitational Wave detection) is most sensitive to the frequency band 100nHz–1mHz and PTAs are most sensitive to the frequency band 300pHz–100nHz. In this paper, we discuss the sensitivities and outlooks of detection of GWs from binary massive black holes in these frequency bands with an emphasis on ASTROD-GW. The GWs generated by the inspirals, merging and subsequent ringdowns of binary black holes are standard sirens to the cosmological distance. Using GW observations, we discuss the methods for determining the equation of state of dark energy and for testing the co-evolution models of massive black holes. ASTROD-GW is an optimization of ASTROD to focus on the goal of detection of GWs. The mission orbits of the 3 spacecraft forming a nearly equilateral triangular array are chosen to be near the Sun-Earth Lagrange points L3, L4 and L5. The 3 spacecraft range interferometrically with one another with arm length about 260million kilometers. With 52 times longer in arm length compared to that of LISA, the strain detection sensitivity is 52 times better toward larger wavelength. The scientific aim is focused for gravitational wave detection at low frequency. The science goals include detection of GWs from MBHs, and Extreme-Mass-Ratio Black Hole Inspirals (EMRI), and using these observations to find the evolution of the equation of state of dark energy and to explore the co-evolution of massive black holes with galaxies.
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