Bounds on cosmic strings from WMAP and SDSS
/ Authors
/ Abstract
We find the constraints from Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe (WMAP) and Sloan digital sky survey (SDSS) data on the fraction of cosmological fluctuations sourced by local cosmic strings using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis. In addition to varying the usual 6 cosmological parameters and the string tension ({mu}), we also varied the amount of small-scale structure on the strings. Our results indicate that cosmic strings can account for up to 7 (14)% of the total power of the microwave anisotropy at 68 (95)% confidence level. The corresponding bound on the string mass per unit length, within our string model, is G{mu}<3.4(5)x10{sup -7} at 68 (95)% C.L. We also calculate the B-type polarization spectra sourced by cosmic strings and discuss the prospects of their detection.
Journal: Physical Review D