Probing the primordial power spectrum with the VSA (and other CMB experiments)

Abstract

We present estimates of parameters which model the primordial density fluctuations using CMB data from the VSA, 1st year WMAP, CBI and ACBAR along with external priors from 2dF and the HST. Taken at face value there is significant evidence for a running spectral index when only scalar fluctuations are considered. The significance of this result is increased by the inclusion of tensors and, although the result is weakened by the inclusion of `running of the running', the basic trend toward significantly negative running remains. We discuss the implications of this result and how it might be strengthened by future observations.