MEASURING PRIMORDIAL NON-GAUSSIANITY THROUGH WEAK-LENSING PEAK COUNTS

Journal Article · Thu Feb 10 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/728/1/L13· OSTI ID:21560507

Marian, Laura; Hilbert, Stefan; Smith, Robert E; Schneider, Peter ^[1]; Desjacques, Vincent ^[2]

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1. Argelander-Institut fuer Astronomie, Universitaet Bonn, Bonn, D-53121 (Germany)
2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zuerich, Zuerich, CH 8057 (Switzerland)

We explore the possibility of detecting primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type using weak-lensing peak counts. We measure the peak abundance in sets of simulated weak-lensing maps corresponding to three models f{sub NL} = 0, - 100, and 100. Using survey specifications similar to those of EUCLID and without assuming any knowledge of the lens and source redshifts, we find the peak functions of the non-Gaussian models with f{sub NL} = {+-}100 to differ by up to 15% from the Gaussian peak function at the high-mass end. For the assumed survey parameters, the probability of fitting an f{sub NL} = 0 peak function to the f{sub NL} = {+-}100 peak functions is less than 0.1%. Assuming the other cosmological parameters are known, f{sub NL} can be measured with an error {Delta}f{sub NL} {approx} 13. It is therefore possible that future weak-lensing surveys like EUCLID and LSST may detect primordial non-Gaussianity from the abundance of peak counts, and provide information complementary to that obtained from the cosmic microwave background.

• OSTI ID: 21560507
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 728; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GALAXY CLUSTERS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PEAKS
RADIATIONS
RED SHIFT
RELICT RADIATION
SIMULATION
UNIVERSE