Quantifying discordance in the 2015 Planck CMB spectrum
Open accessAbstract
We examine the internal consistency of the Planck 2015 cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropy power spectrum. We show that tension exists between cosmological constant cold dark matter ( ) model parameters inferred from multipoles (roughly those accessible to Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe), and from , particularly the CDM density, , which is discrepant at for a Planck -motivated prior on the optical depth, . We find some parameter tensions to be larger than previously reported because of inaccuracy in the code used by the Planck Collaboration to generate model spectra. The Planck constraints are also in tension with low-redshift data sets, including Planck ’s own measurement of the CMB lensing power spectrum ( ), and the most precise baryon acoustic oscillation scale determination ( ). The Hubble constant predicted by Planck from , km s Mpc−1, disagrees with the most precise local distance ladder measurement of km s Mpc−1 at the level, while the Planck value from , km s Mpc−1, is consistent within . A discrepancy between the Planck and South Pole Telescope high-multipole CMB spectra disfavors interpreting these tensions as evidence for new physics. We conclude that the parameters from the Planck high-multipole spectrum probably differ from the underlying values due to either an unlikely statistical fluctuation or unaccounted-for systematics persisting in the Planck data.
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Fixing the parameter A_lens=1.2, similar to its best fit obtained by Planck, could be a way to resolve the internal disagreement of the two multipole regions, directly indicating a systematic error present in the data.
“fixing the parameter A lens = 1.2, similar to its best fit obtained by Planck, could be a way to resolve this internal disagreement of the two multipole regions, directly indicating a systematic error present in the data.”
From Challenges of the Standard Cosmological Model (2022) · cites this paper as [82]
Section 3.1 (page unavailable) says allowing A_L > 1 relieves tension between the low- and high-multipole temperature results and examines A_L = 1.2. It does not say fixing A_L at 1.2 resolves the disagreement; it also says no value produces agreement with the lensing-spectrum data. The Discussion (page unavailable) treats systematic error as one possible explanation alongside statistical fluctuations and other possibilities, not something directly established by this adjustment. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredConstraints on some cosmological parameters obtained by assuming ΛCDM from two separate fits of the low-l and high-l multipoles of the Planck temperature power spectrum data are in tension at more than 2σ level.
“the constraints on some cosmological parameters obtained by assuming ΛCDM from two separate fits of the low-ℓ and the high-ℓ multipoles of the Planck temperature power spectrum data are in tension at more than 2σ level”
From Challenges of the Standard Cosmological Model (2022) · cites this paper as [82]
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- Authors
- Addison, G. E., Huang, Y., Watts, D. J., Bennett, C. L., Halpern, M., Hinshaw, G., & Weiland, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Addison, G. E.
- Venue
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Publisher
- American Astronomical Society
- Published
- 2016-02-16
- Volume
- 818
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 132
- ISSN
- 0004-637X (ISSN-L)
- 1538-4357
- OpenAlex
- W1935338788
- Cited by
- 235
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 20
- FWCI
- 18.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The Astrophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (acceptedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Keywords
- Planck 2015, cosmic microwave background, cosmological tensions, cold dark matter, cosmological constant, optical depth, baryon acoustic oscillations, Hubble constant, South Pole Telescope, systematics
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