How to De-Rotate the Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization

Abstract

If the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is rotated in a frequency-independent manner as it propagates from the surface of last scatter, it may introduce a B-mode polarization. Here I show that measurement of higher-order TE, EE, EB, and TB correlations induced by this rotation can be used to reconstruct the rotation angle as a function of position on the sky. This technique can be used to distinguish primordial B modes from those induced by rotation. The effects of rotation can be distinguished geometrically from similar effects due to cosmic shear.