title: Limit on the detectability of the energy scale of inflation.
abstract: We show that the polarization of the cosmic microwave background can be used to detect gravity waves from inflation if the energy scale of inflation is above 2x10(15) GeV. These gravity waves generate polarization patterns with a curl, whereas (to first order in perturbation theory) density perturbations do not. The limiting "noise" arises from the second-order generation of curl from density perturbations, or rather residuals from its subtraction. We calculate optimal sky coverage and detectability limits as a function of detector sensitivity and observing time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Knox
authors.forename: Yong-Seon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Song