Michael Moorman with Craig Copi

Angular Correlation of Anisotropy Polarization in the CMB

There has been much work done in determining temperature correlations in the WMAP cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, through the angular power spectrum data with Fourier parameters and through the two-point correlation data in real parameters. Each technique provides its own insight into the nature of the CMB’s anisotropies. In particular, it has been discovered that there is a statistically significant cutoff in angular temperature correlations at large angles compared with the predictions of the concordance model and inflation theory. This indicates an error in the data or the data processing, or a possible violation of statistical isotropy in the CMB. However, no similar studies have yet been done for the polarization data, which has been treated using angular power spectrum techniques alone. We will perform a similar treatment of the correlation in polarization, particularly comparing these results to the expected results from the concordance model.