Monday 17 March 2014

First Direct Evidence of Cosmic Inflation

Swirls in the CMB polarization, shown here in the BICEP2 data, show the first clear evidence of primordial gravitational waves. Image: BICEP2

The title of the scientific presentation said it all:

"First Direct Evidence of Cosmic Inflation".

It appears that the rumours were true and BICEP2 has discovered something extraordinary.

The full set of scientific papers is online here: http://bicepkeck.org/
The FAQ summarising the data is here: http://bicepkeck.org/faq.html

Adam Mann reports:
"A team of scientists may have detected a twist in light from the early universe that could help explain how the universe began. Such a finding has been compared in significance to the detection of the Higgs boson at the LHC in 2012. What they detected is known as primordial B-mode polarization and is important for at least two reasons. It would be is the first detection of gravitational waves, which are predicted to exist under Einstein’s theory of relativity but have never before been seen. But the thing that has scientists really excited is that it could provide the first direct evidence for a theorized event called inflation that caused the universe to exponentially grow just a fraction of a fraction of a second after it was born."

“Detecting this signal is one of the most important goals in cosmology today.” noted astronomer, John Kovac, of Harvard, who led the team announcing the discovery.

Dr Jo Dunkley who has been searching through data from the European Planck space telescope for a B-mode signal, stated: "I can't tell you how exciting this is."

"Everything that is important, everything we see today - the galaxies, the stars, the planets - was imprinted at that moment, in less than a trillionth of a second. If this is confirmed, it's huge."

Alan Guth himself -one of the fathers of the theory of inflation - was cautiously optimistic about the initial announcement:
"No experiment should be taken too seriously until there's more than one that can vouch for it. But it does seem to me that this is a very reliable group and what they've seen is very definitive."

Later in the New York Times, Guth pronounced himself “bowled over,” saying he had not expected such a definite confirmation in his lifetime. “With nature, you have to be lucky,” he said. “Apparently we have been lucky.”

And here is the news being broken to theorist, Andrei Linde, another of key authors of the inflationary universe theory (as well as the theory of eternal inflation):

 

Max Tegmark, a cosmologist at MIT, told the New York Times, “I think that if this stays true, it will go down as one of the greatest discoveries in the history of science.” He added, “It’s a sensational breakthrough involving not only our cosmic origins, but also the nature of space.”

Nobel Prize winner, Frank Wilczek, commented: "Assuming the BICEP results are what they appear to be, it will be, like the Higgs particle: a triumph for boldness and minimalism."

This announcement has implications far beyond the field of cosmology.  If the detection is confirmed, and inflation theory is eventually accepted, particle physicists will also be intrigued.  According to inflation theory, a quantised particle called the inflaton exists, and is hypothesized to be responsible for cosmic inflation in the very early universe.  So as physicist Richard Easther, points out, "we're not just looking at the beginning of the universe, we are exploring undiscovered vistas in particle physics."

The BICEP - (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) telescope, Antarctica

Meanwhile, one of the hottest debates in the coming days and weeks is what these results mean for cosmological models which involve the existence of the Multiverse.  Even before the press conference was finished, early comments were being made.

Sean Carroll remarked:
"I'm less sure than Guth & Linde on the inflation -> multiverse connection. But inflation certainly strengthens the case for a multiverse."

Whatever way you look at it, today has been a truly historic day for physics, and has ushered in a new era of scientific enquiry.  The days, weeks and months ahead promise to be captivating, as physicists strive to comprehend the significance of these new findings.

Initial media reactions:
http://www.wired.com/
http://www.bbc.com/
http://www.newscientist.com
http://www.nytimes.com

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