Search for Cosmic Strings in the COSMOS Survey

Author Info

Jodi L. Christiansen, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoFollow
E. Albin, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
T. Fletcher, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
J. Goldman, National University of Singapore
I. P.W. Teng, National University of Singapore
M. Foley, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
G. F. Smoot, University of California - Berkeley

Recommended Citation

Published in Physical Review D, Volume 83, Issue 12, April 13, 2011, pages 1-6.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.122004.

Abstract

We search the COSMOS survey for pairs of galaxies consistent with the gravitational lensing signature of a cosmic string. The COSMOS survey imaged 1.64 square degrees using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Our technique includes estimates of the efficiency for finding the lensed galaxy pair. We find no evidence for cosmic strings with a mass per unit length of Gμ/c² < 3.0 × 10⁻⁷ out to redshifts greater than 0.6 and set 95% upper limits. This corresponds to a global 95% upper limit of Ω_strings < 0.0028.

Disciplines

Physics

Copyright

2011 American Physical Society.

Publisher statement

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Physical Society. The following article appeared in Physical Review D.