DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17508908
title: Rotation Field of the Cosmic Microwave Background — Extended MASTER Calibration and Robustness Validation of the Anisotropic Cosmic Birefringence Dipole (v1.41): Part of the "22 Blue" Research Series on Large-Scale Parity Violation and Cosmic Birefringence

description:  

Rotation Field α(ℓ) — v 1.41 (Extended MASTER Calibration & Robustness Validation)

 

 

This release refines and extends the MASTER-calibrated rotation-field analysis of Planck 2018 polarization data first presented in v 1.4. Using combined SMICA and NILC EB cross-spectra over multipoles ℓ = 500–1500, the α(ℓ) field is decomposed into spherical-harmonic modes (αₗₘ for L ≤ 10) to map the large-scale birefringence structure of the CMB.

 

Version 1.41 re-evaluates the α–α angular-power spectrum with improved MASTER window-function corrections and expanded robustness tests. Results confirm the persistence of the coherent dipole (L = 1) and its alignment near Galactic (ℓ, b) ≈ (278°, 18°), consistent across component-separation methods, half-missions, and mask apodizations. The combined dipole amplitude remains significant (8.5 σ isotropic and 4–5 σ directional components), indicating that the rotation field is a real anisotropic feature of the CMB polarization data rather than a systematic artifact.

 

The updated calibration confirms that the rotation pattern and power distribution are stable under masking, frequency splits, and linearity tests. The observed anisotropic dipole and two-harmonic structure (Δℓ ≈ 180 and 360) remain consistent with theoretical expectations for a slowly varying pseudoscalar (axion-like) field coupled to photons, breaking mirror symmetry on cosmological scales.

 

 

 

 

Relation to the “22 Blue” Research Series

 

 

The 22 Blue series documents the discovery, validation, and verification of cosmic birefringence in Planck 2018 polarization data:

 



v 1.0 (Sep 20 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17167268): Phase-coherent harmonic alignments in the CMB polarization field.

v 1.0 (Oct 10 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17317397): First quantitative detection of scale-dependent and anisotropic birefringence (8.5 σ isotropic + 4–5 σ directional).

v 1.1 (Oct 20 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17396428): Statistical validation and reproducibility bundle (TB/EB diagnostics, covariance checks).

v 1.2 (Oct 21 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17410764): Two-harmonic extension (Δℓ ≈ 180 and 360 periodicity).

v 1.3 (Oct 28 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17468988): Verification phase (calibration, simulation, injection/recovery tests).

v 1.4 (Nov 1 2025; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17500791): MASTER-calibrated dipole and anisotropic rotation field.

Harvard Dataverse (DOI 10.7910/DVN/PTDG20): Institutional mirror for long-term archival preservation.


 

 

Together these datasets form a complete end-to-end record of the cosmic birefringence discovery known as “22 Blue — The Heartbeat of the Universe.”

 

 

 

Contents

 



MASTER-extended α–α power spectrum and dipole maps (L ≤ 10)

Frequency and half-mission cross-validation tests

Calibration and linearity checks with updated window functions

Reproducibility scripts and evaluation figures


 

 

Created by Amy Condit (22 Blue) — an independent cosmology project investigating large-scale parity violation and anisotropic cosmic birefringence in the CMB.