Cosmological-parameter Determination with Cosmic Microwave Background Temperature Anisotropies and Polarization

Forthcoming cosmic microwave background experiments (CMB) will provide precise new tests of structure-formation theories. The geometry of the Universe may be determined robustly, and the classical cosmological parameters, such as the cosmological constant, baryon density, and Hubble constant, may be determined as well. In addition, the “inflationary observables,” which parameterize the shapes and amplitudes of the primordial spectra of density perturbations and long-wavelength gravitational waves produced by inflation, may also be measured and thus provide several new tests of inflation. Although most attention has focussed on the more easily observed temperature anisotropies, recent work has shown that the CMB polarization provides a wealth of unique information that may be especially important for determination of the inflationary observables. Secondary anisotropies at small angular scales produced by re-scattering of photons from partial reionization may be used to constrain the ionization history of the Universe.