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Main Authors: Cozzumbo, Andrea, Corona, Mattia Atzori, Murgia, Riccardo, Archidiacono, Maria, Cadeddu, Matteo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.01967
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author Cozzumbo, Andrea
Corona, Mattia Atzori
Murgia, Riccardo
Archidiacono, Maria
Cadeddu, Matteo
author_facet Cozzumbo, Andrea
Corona, Mattia Atzori
Murgia, Riccardo
Archidiacono, Maria
Cadeddu, Matteo
contents Recent analyses combining cosmic microwave background (CMB) and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) challenge particle physics constraints on the total neutrino mass, pointing to values smaller than the lower limit from neutrino oscillation experiments. To examine the impact of different CMB likelihoods from $\mathit{Planck}$, lensing potential measurements from $\mathit{Planck}$ and ACT, and BAO data from DESI, we introduce an effective neutrino mass parameter ($\sum \tilde{m}_ν$) which is allowed to take negative values. We investigate its correlation with two extra parameters capturing the impact of gravitational lensing on the CMB: one controlling the smoothing of the peaks of the temperature and polarization power spectra; one rescaling the lensing potential amplitude. In this configuration, we infer $\sum \tilde{m}_ν=-0.018^{+0.085}_{-0.089}~\text{eV}~(68\% ~\text{C.L.})$, which is fully consistent with the minimal value required by neutrino oscillation experiments. We attribute the apparent preference for negative neutrino masses to an excess of gravitational lensing detected by late-time cosmological probes compared to that inferred from $\mathit{Planck}$ CMB angular power spectra. We discuss implications in light of the DESI BAO measurements and the CMB lensing anomaly.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_01967
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A short blanket for cosmology: the CMB lensing anomaly behind the preference for a negative neutrino mass
Cozzumbo, Andrea
Corona, Mattia Atzori
Murgia, Riccardo
Archidiacono, Maria
Cadeddu, Matteo
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Recent analyses combining cosmic microwave background (CMB) and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) challenge particle physics constraints on the total neutrino mass, pointing to values smaller than the lower limit from neutrino oscillation experiments. To examine the impact of different CMB likelihoods from $\mathit{Planck}$, lensing potential measurements from $\mathit{Planck}$ and ACT, and BAO data from DESI, we introduce an effective neutrino mass parameter ($\sum \tilde{m}_ν$) which is allowed to take negative values. We investigate its correlation with two extra parameters capturing the impact of gravitational lensing on the CMB: one controlling the smoothing of the peaks of the temperature and polarization power spectra; one rescaling the lensing potential amplitude. In this configuration, we infer $\sum \tilde{m}_ν=-0.018^{+0.085}_{-0.089}~\text{eV}~(68\% ~\text{C.L.})$, which is fully consistent with the minimal value required by neutrino oscillation experiments. We attribute the apparent preference for negative neutrino masses to an excess of gravitational lensing detected by late-time cosmological probes compared to that inferred from $\mathit{Planck}$ CMB angular power spectra. We discuss implications in light of the DESI BAO measurements and the CMB lensing anomaly.
title A short blanket for cosmology: the CMB lensing anomaly behind the preference for a negative neutrino mass
topic Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.01967