Ralston, John P

Question Isotropy

The 'cosmological principle' was set up early without realizing its implications for the horizon problem, and almost entirely without support from observational data. Consistent signals of anisotopy have been found in data on electromagnetic propagation, polarizations of QSOs and CMB temperature maps. The axis of Virgo is found again and again in signals breaking isotropy, from independent observables in independent energy regimes. There are no satisfactory explanations of these effects in conventional astrophysics. Axion-photon mixing and propagation in axion condensates are capable of encompassing the data.