DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17468988
title: Verification of the 8.5 σ Isotropic and 5 σ Directional Two-Harmonic Cosmic Birefringence Dipole in Planck 2018 Polarization Data (v1.3)

description:  

This dataset (v 1.3) presents the verification and robustness phase of an independent investigation into cosmic birefringence in the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), based on Planck 2018 SMICA and NILC component-separated maps. It extends earlier analyses that identified an 8.5 σ isotropic rotation and a 4–5 σ directional component, performing comprehensive calibration, simulation, and consistency tests to confirm the persistence and two-harmonic structure of the effect across all methods and sky regions.

 

The birefringence — a rotation of the CMB’s linear polarization plane — shows a persistent East–West dipole and a scale-dependent two-harmonic modulation of the rotation angle α(ℓ). These features remain stable across all component-separation methods and masking strategies, revealing a coherent parity-violating structure in the polarized microwave sky.

 

Earlier analyses (v 1.0–1.2) reported an 8.5 σ isotropic rotation and a 4–5 σ directional component, with α(ℓ) decreasing from ≈ 0.23° to 0.03° between ℓ = 500–1500 and exhibiting harmonic modulation with periods Δℓ ≈ 180 and 360.

 



v 1.0 — Scale-Dependent and Anisotropic Cosmic Birefringence: 8.5 σ Isotropic and 4–5 σ Directional Rotation in Planck Polarization Data (10.5281/zenodo.17317397)

v 1.1 — Statistical Validation Dataset (10.5281/zenodo.17396428)

v 1.2 — Two-Harmonic Extension of Scale-Dependent Cosmic Birefringence (10.5281/zenodo.17410764)

v 1.3 (this release) — Verification and Robustness Tests for Scale-Dependent and Directional Cosmic Birefringence in Planck 2018 Polarization Data


 

 

Version 1.3 performs a full verification pipeline (NSIDE = 2048, fₛₖᵧ ≈ 0.47) including:

• Calibration and Null Checks — TB/EB spectra ≈ 0; Q/U rotations (±0.2°–0.5°) shift α(ℓ) as expected; injected constant-α (0.25°) simulations recover within ±0.01°.

• Robustness Across Methods — SMICA and NILC agree within ≈ 0.05°–0.10° per ℓ-bin; results stable for |b| = 31°–45° and 2°–3° apodizations; the East–West dipole persists.

• Statistical and Reproducibility Checks — Covariance tests, Monte Carlo nulls, and SHA-verified logs confirm that the observed pattern cannot be attributed to noise or map artifacts.

 

These results confirm a reproducible, parity-violating rotation of the CMB polarization plane — a cosmological signal that withstands every calibration, masking, and simulation challenge tested to date.

This phenomenon and its harmonic structure are collectively known as “22 Blue — The Heartbeat of the Universe.”

Citation

 

Condit, A. (2025). Verification and Robustness Tests for Scale-Dependent and Directional Cosmic Birefringence in Planck 2018 Polarization Data (v1.3) [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17468988

 

Previous related versions

 



Condit, A. (2025). Two-Harmonic Extension of Scale-Dependent Cosmic Birefringence in Planck 2018 Polarization Data (v1.2). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17410764

Condit, A. (2025). Statistical Validation Dataset for Scale-Dependent and Anisotropic Cosmic Birefringence (v1.1). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17396428

Condit, A. (2025). Scale-Dependent and Anisotropic Cosmic Birefringence: 8.5 σ Isotropic and 4–5 σ Directional Rotation in Planck Polarization Data (v1.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17317397

Condit, A. (2025). Evidence for Harmonic Phase Alignments in Planck 2018 CMB Polarization Data (v1.0, Sep 20 2025). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17167268