Updated constraints on neutrino-sustained primordial vector modes imply magnetic fields too weak to seed observations and cannot reproduce the EB power spectrum while satisfying parity-even limits.
Observable primordial vector modes
2 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
Primordial vector modes describe vortical fluid perturbations in the early universe. A regular solution exists with constant non-zero radiation vorticities on super-horizon scales. Baryons are tightly coupled to the photons, and the baryon velocity only decays by an order unity factor by recombination, leading to an observable CMB anisotropy signature via the Doppler effect. There is also a large B-mode CMB polarization signal, with significant power on scales larger than l~2000. This B-mode signature is distinct from that expected from tensor modes or gravitational lensing, and makes a primordial vector to scalar mode power ratio ~10^(-6) detectable. Future observations aimed at detecting large scale B-modes from gravitational waves will also be sensitive to regular vector modes at around this level.
citation-role summary
citation-polarity summary
fields
astro-ph.CO 2years
2026 2verdicts
UNVERDICTED 2roles
background 2polarities
background 2representative citing papers
Recent CMB datasets tighten 95% CL upper bounds on vector-mode amplitude r_v to 1.3e-4 (neutrino isocurvature), 6.8 (octupole), and 4.2 (sourced) at k=0.05 Mpc^-1, with no significant detection.
citing papers explorer
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Revisiting constraints on primordial vector modes and implications for sourced magnetic fields and observed $EB$ power spectrum
Updated constraints on neutrino-sustained primordial vector modes imply magnetic fields too weak to seed observations and cannot reproduce the EB power spectrum while satisfying parity-even limits.
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The Status of Gravitational Vector Perturbations with Recent CMB Data
Recent CMB datasets tighten 95% CL upper bounds on vector-mode amplitude r_v to 1.3e-4 (neutrino isocurvature), 6.8 (octupole), and 4.2 (sourced) at k=0.05 Mpc^-1, with no significant detection.