Constraints On The Topology Of The Universe From The WMAP First-Year Sky Maps

Abstract

We compute the covariance expected between the spherical harmonic coefficients $a_{\ell m}$ of the cosmic microwave temperature anisotropy if the universe had a compact topology. For fundamental cell size smaller than the distance to the decoupling surface, off-diagonal components carry more information than the diagonal components (the power spectrum). We use a maximum likelihood analysis to compare the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe first-year data to models with a cubic topology. The data are compatible with finite flat topologies with fundamental domain $L > 1.2$ times the distance to the decoupling surface at 95% confidence. The WMAP data show reduced power at the quadrupole and octopole, but do not show the correlations expected for a compact topology and are indistinguishable from infinite models.