Emergent Anisotropies and Forecast for future surveys

In this project we will investigate the possibility of a non-standard metric (i.e., non-Friedmann Robertson Walker) cosmology. In particular, we are currently working out a 2-form field model that would exhibit a special kind of cosmological anisotropy na turally. We will have to write down and solve the background evolution and perturbation equations for the current candidate. It is possible, depending on the outcome, that we will have to introduce some corrections to the current Lagrangian. We are also p lanning to investigate the observational consequences of this peculiar kind of anisotropy, which will affect supernovae observations and also the CMB temperature map. Another consequence of this metrics is an intrinsic alignment of clusters in the sky, wh ich would potentially show up in weak lensing surveys. We shall carry out an estimate of this effect and do a forecast analysis of future survey data coming from the LSST telescope, the Dark Energy Survey and the Euclid / JDEM satellite mission. We also p lan to discuss and study other possible models that would be described by this homogeneous Kantowski-Sachs / Bianchi III class of metrics.