Constraints on the Primordial Magnetic Field from $σ_8$

Abstract

A primordial magnetic field (PMF) can affect the evolution of density field fluctuations in the early universe.In this paper we constrain the PMF amplitude $B_λ$ and power spectral index $n_\mathrm{B}$ by comparing calculated density field fluctuations with observational data, i.e. the number density fluctuation of galaxies.We show that the observational constraints on cosmological density fluctuations, as parameterized by $σ_8$, lead to strong constraints on the amplitude and spectral index of the PMF.

11 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication as Phys. Rev. D