A fully Lagrangian, non-parametric bias model for dark matter halos

Journal Article · 01 February 2022 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2022/02/002 · OSTI ID:1979353

Wu, Xiaohan ^[1]; Muñoz, Julian B. ^[2]; Eisenstein, Daniel ^[2]

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1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)
2. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)

Here, we present a non-parametric Lagrangian biasing model and fit the ratio of the halo and mass densities at the field level using the mass-weighted halo field in the AbacusSummit simulations at z=0.5. Unlike the perturbative halo bias model that has been widely used in interpreting the observed large-scale structure traced by galaxies, we find a non-negative halo-to-mass ratio that increases monotonically with the linear overdensity δ₁ in the initial Lagrangian space. The bias expansion, however, does not guarantee non-negativity of the halo counts, and may lead to rising halo number counts at negative overdensities. The shape of the halo-to-mass ratio is unlikely to be described by a polynomial function of δ₁ and other quantities. Especially for massive halos with 6×10¹²h^-1 M_⊙, the halo-to-mass ratio starts soaring up at δ₁>0, substantially different from the predictions of the bias expansion. We show that for the halo masses we consider (M>3×10¹¹ h^-1 M_⊙) a non-parametric halo-to-mass ratio as a function of δ₁ and its local derivative ∇^2δ₁ can recover the halo power spectra to sub-percent level accuracy for wavenumbers k=0.01-0.1 h Mpc^-1 given a proper smoothing scale to filter the initial density field, even though we do not fit the power spectrum directly. However, there is mild dependence of the recovery of the halo power spectrum on the smoothing scale and other input parameters. At k<0.01 h Mpc^-1 and for massive halos with M>6x10¹² h^-1M_⊙, our non-parametric model leads to a few percent overestimation of the halo power spectrum, indicating the need for larger or multiple smoothing scales. The halo-to-mass ratios obtained qualitatively agree with intuitions from extended Press-Schechter theory. We compare our framework to the bias expansion and discuss possible extensions.

• Research Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Simons Foundation; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0013718
• OSTI ID: 1979353
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 02 Vol. 2022; ISSN 1475-7516
• Publisher: Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English