The Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background
Astrophysics
2007-05-23 v2
Abstract
We summarize the physical mechanism by which the Cosmic Microwave Background acquires a small degree of polarization. We discuss the imprint left by gravitational waves and the use of polarization as a test of the inflationary paradigm. We discuss some physical processes that affect the CMB polarization after recombination such as gravitational lensing and the reionization of the universe.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0305272,
title = {The Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background},
author = {Matias Zaldarriaga},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0305272},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
Review written for the Carnegie Observatories Centenial Symposium II