Faraday scaling and the BICEP2 observations

As repeatedly speculated in the past, the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background can be rotated via the Faraday effect. An economic explanation of the recent Bicep2 observations, not relying on long-wavelength tensor modes of the geometry, would stipulate that the detected B mode comes exclusively from a Faraday rotated E-mode polarization. We show hereunder that this interpretation is ruled out by the existing upper limits on the B-mode polarization obtained by independent experiments at observational frequencies much lower than the operating frequency of the Bicep2 experiment. We then derive the fraction of the observed B-mode polarization ascribable to the Faraday effect and suggest a dedicated experimental strategy for its detection.