http://arxiv.org/abs/2208.06021
Circles of low-variance and Hawking points in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), resulting from black hole mergers and black hole evaporation, respectively, in a previous cycle of the universe, have been predicted as possible evidence for the Conformal Cyclic Cosmology model (CCC) introduced by R. Penrose. We present a high-resolution search for such low-variance circles in the Planck and WMAP CMB data, and introduce HawkingNet, our machine learning open-source software based on a ResNet18 algorithm, to search for Hawking points in the CMB. We find that CMB anomalies, consisting of a single or a few bright pixels, erroneously lead to regions with many low-variance circles when applying the search criteria used in previous works [V.G. Gurzadyan, R. Penrose]. After removing the anomalies from the data no statistically significant low-variance circles can be found. Concerning Hawking points, also no statistically significant evidence is found when using a Gaussian temperature amplitude model over 1 degree opening angle and after accounting for CMB anomalies. That CMB anomalies themselves might be remnants of Hawking points is not supported by low-variance and/or high-temperature circles around them. The absence of such distinct features in the CMB does not disprove CCC because if the density of such circles and Hawking points is large an interference speckle pattern in the CMB might arise instead. This would lead to non-Gaussian fluctuation in the CMB, a feature not unique to CCC. We do observe significant local deviation of the real CMB sky from Gaussian noise on a local scale when using best-fit Lambda-CDM and COM PowerSpect CBM TT-full power spectra.
E. Bodnia, V. Isenbaev, K. Colburn, et. al.
Mon, 15 Aug 22
52/54
Comments: prepared for JCAP
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