The Status of Gravitational Vector Perturbations with Recent CMB Data

We present new constraints on gravitational vector perturbations ($\mathcal{V}$-modes) using Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data, including temperature and $E$-mode polarization from SPT-3G D1, ACT-DR6, and $Planck$, as well as $B$-mode data from BICEP/Keck and SPTpol, which provide the strongest constraints on $\mathcal{V}$-modes. We consider three initial conditions (ICs) that source $\mathcal{V}$-modes: neutrino isocurvature (ISO), neutrino octupole (OCT), and a sourced mode (SMD) generated by an anisotropic stress before matter-radiation equality. We also consider including tensor modes along with $\mathcal{V}$-modes for each of these ICs. Combining all datasets, we obtain 95\% confidence level upper limits of $r_\mathrm{v} < 1.3\times10^{-4}$ (ISO), $r_\mathrm{v} < 6.8$ (OCT), and $r_\mathrm{v} < 4.2$ (SMD), with slightly tighter bounds when tensors are included, at a pivot scale $k_p\ =\ 0.05$ Mpc$^{-1}$. Interestingly, for SMD without tensors, using SPTpol $B$-modes alone yields $r_\mathrm{v} = 4.7 \pm 2.1$, consistent with zero at $2.2\sigma$. Similar result is found for SMD when including tensor perturbations. No statistically significant deviation from $\Lambda$CDM is found. However, $\mathcal{V}$-modes are not fully excluded by current $B$-mode data and should be considered when interpreting primordial signals.