CMB Cold Spot from Inflationary Feature Scattering
arXiv:1501.00282 · doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2016.03.020
Abstract
We propose a "feature-scattering" mechanism to explain the cosmic microwave background cold spot seen from WMAP and Planck maps. If there are hidden features in the potential of multi-field inflation, the inflationary trajectory can be scattered by such features. The scattering is controlled by the amount of isocurvature fluctuations, and thus can be considered as a mechanism to convert isocurvature fluctuations into curvature fluctuations. This mechanism predicts localized cold spots (instead of hot ones) on the CMB. In addition, it may also bridge a connection between the cold spot and a dip on the CMB power spectrum at $\ell \sim 20$.
17 pages, 17 figures, Nuclear Physics B in press