History of CMB, prediction of 1 in 100,000?

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In summary, the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the afterglow radiation from the Big Bang, providing crucial evidence for the universe's early hot and dense state. Research indicates that the CMB's fluctuations can predict the likelihood of certain cosmic events, with some predictions estimating occurrences as rare as 1 in 100,000. This statistical rarity highlights the significance of the CMB in understanding cosmic evolution and the large-scale structure of the universe.
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windy miller
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Variations in the tamperatureo of the CMB are 1 part in 100,00. My understanding is that this was first measured by COBE, But was this value predicted?
What were the ranges of estimates for its value before it was measured?
 
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Robert Dicke predicted the CMB while developing radar receivers beginning in the 1940s into 1960s. Dicke strongly encouraged the working group at Bell Labs who first detected the CMB radiation on the Homdel horn antenna. Dicke's Princeton research group verified the discovery and documented the second CMB detection using a super-cooled receiver of his design.

In the early 1960s, work on Brans–Dicke theory led Dicke to think about the early Universe, and with Jim Peebles he re-derived the prediction of a cosmic microwave background (having allegedly forgotten the earlier prediction of George Gamow and co-workers). Dicke, with David Todd Wilkinson and Peter G. Roll, immediately began building a Dicke radiometer to search for the radiation.

They were preceded by the accidental detection made by Arno Penzias and Robert Woodrow Wilson (also using a Dicke radiometer), who were working at Bell Labs near Princeton.[11][12] Nevertheless, Dicke's group made the second clean detection, and their theoretical interpretation of Penzias and Wilson's results showed that theories of the early universe had moved from pure speculation into well-tested physics.[13][14]

I read a paper by Steven Weinberg (IMS) describing expected thermal variations in CMBr based on Brans-Dicke theory confirmed by COBE measurements. I would like to say Weinberg predicted 10-5 anisotropies but need to locate the relevant texts and publication dates. George Gamov likely maintains precedence, as the above excerpt describes.
 
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Let me know if you find it thanks.
 
  • #5
windy miller said:
Let me know if you find it thanks.
No, I did find revisions to his cosmology primer "First Three Minutes" that include CMBr (rev 3) and significance of anisotropies (rev 6 ), not a peer reviewed pub but in the OP period of interest.

Weinberg published numerous cosmology papers on the topic but not specifically "predictive".
From early this century:
astro-ph gr-qc hep-th
A No-Truncation Approach to Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies​
Authors: Steven Weinberg
Abstract: We offer a method of calculating the source term in the line-of-sight integral for cosmic microwave background anisotropies without using a truncated partial-wave expansion in the Boltzmann hierarchy.​
 

FAQ: History of CMB, prediction of 1 in 100,000?

What is the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)?

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the afterglow radiation from the Big Bang, filling the universe and providing a snapshot of the infant universe approximately 380,000 years after its formation. It is a nearly uniform field of microwave radiation that is isotropic, meaning it has the same intensity in all directions, with slight fluctuations that correspond to the density variations in the early universe.

Why is the CMB significant in cosmology?

The CMB is significant because it serves as a crucial piece of evidence for the Big Bang theory. It provides insights into the universe's early conditions, its composition, and the processes that led to the formation of large-scale structures. The tiny temperature fluctuations in the CMB are linked to the distribution of matter in the universe, allowing scientists to study its evolution and the parameters of cosmological models.

What does the prediction of 1 in 100,000 refer to?

The prediction of 1 in 100,000 refers to the statistical likelihood of observing certain anomalies or fluctuations in the CMB that deviate from the expected uniformity. This prediction highlights the rarity of these anomalies and suggests that they could provide important clues about the underlying physics of the universe, such as inflationary models or the existence of other cosmic phenomena.

How were the fluctuations in the CMB discovered?

The fluctuations in the CMB were discovered through precise measurements conducted by satellite missions such as COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) in the early 1990s, followed by WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) and Planck. These missions mapped the temperature variations in the CMB across the sky, revealing the subtle anisotropies that correspond to density variations in the early universe.

What implications do CMB fluctuations have for our understanding of the universe?

The fluctuations in the CMB have profound implications for our understanding of the universe. They provide evidence for the inflationary model of the early universe, help determine the universe's composition (including dark matter and dark energy), and allow for the calculation of fundamental cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant and the curvature of space. These insights help refine our models of cosmic evolution and structure formation.

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