No Arabic abstract
In this paper we show how effects from small scales enter the angular-redshift power spectrum $C_ell(z,z)$. In particular, we show that spectroscopic surveys with high redshift resolution are affected by small scales already on large angular scales, i.e. at low multipoles. Therefore, when considering the angular power spectrum with spectroscopic redshift resolution, it is important to account for non-linearities relevant on small scales even at low multipoles. This may also motivate the use of the correlation function instead of the angular power spectrum. These effects, which are very relevant for bin auto-correlations, but not so important for cross-correlations, are quantified in detail.
In the context of cosmic microwave background (CMB) data analysis, we compare the efficiency at large scale of two angular power spectrum algorithms, implementing, respectively, the quadratic maximum likelihood (QML) estimator and the pseudo spectrum (pseudo-Cl) estimator. By exploiting 1000 realistic Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we find that the QML approach is markedly superior in the range l=[2-100]. At the largest angular scales, e.g. l < 10, the variance of the QML is almost 1/3 (1/2) that of the pseudo-Cl, when we consider the WMAP kq85 (kq85 enlarged by 8 degrees) mask, making the pseudo spectrum estimator a very poor option. Even at multipoles l=[20-60], where pseudo-Cl methods are traditionally used to feed the CMB likelihood algorithms, we find an efficiency loss of about 20%, when we considered the WMAP kq85 mask, and of about 15% for the kq85 mask enlarged by 8 degrees. This should be taken into account when claiming accurate results based on pseudo-Cl methods. Some examples concerning typical large scale estimators are provided.
The first objects to arise in a cold dark matter universe present a daunting challenge for models of structure formation. In the ultra small-scale limit, CDM structures form nearly simultaneously across a wide range of scales. Hierarchical clustering no longer provides a guiding principle for theoretical analyses and the computation time required to carry out credible simulations becomes prohibitively high. To gain insight into this problem, we perform high-resolution (N=720^3 - 1584^3) simulations of an Einstein-de Sitter cosmology where the initial power spectrum is P(k) propto k^n, with -2.5 < n < -1. Self-similar scaling is established for n=-1 and n=-2 more convincingly than in previous, lower-resolution simulations and for the first time, self-similar scaling is established for an n=-2.25 simulation. However, finite box-size effects induce departures from self-similar scaling in our n=-2.5 simulation. We compare our results with the predictions for the power spectrum from (one-loop) perturbation theory and demonstrate that the renormalization group approach suggested by McDonald improves perturbation theorys ability to predict the power spectrum in the quasilinear regime. In the nonlinear regime, our power spectra differ significantly from the widely used fitting formulae of Peacock & Dodds and Smith et al. and a new fitting formula is presented. Implications of our results for the stable clustering hypothesis vs. halo model debate are discussed. Our power spectra are inconsistent with predictions of the stable clustering hypothesis in the high-k limit and lend credence to the halo model. Nevertheless, the fitting formula advocated in this paper is purely empirical and not derived from a specific formulation of the halo model.
Using the Reduced Relativistic Gas (RRG) model, we analytically determine the matter power spectrum for Warm Dark Matter (WDM) on small scales, $k>1 htext{/Mpc}$. The RRG is a simplified model for the ideal relativistic gas, but very accurate in the cosmological context. In another work, we have shown that, for typical allowed masses for dark matter particles, $m>5 text{keV}$, the higher order multipoles, $ell>2$, in the Einstein-Boltzmann system of equations are negligible on scales $k<10 htext{/Mpc}$. Hence, we can follow the perturbations of WDM using the ideal fluid framework, with equation of state and sound speed of perturbations given by the RRG model. We derive a Meszaros like equation for WDM and solve it analytically in radiation, matter and dark energy dominated eras. Joining these solutions, we get an expression that determines the value of WDM perturbations as a function of redshift and wavenumber. Then we construct the matter power spectrum and transfer function of WDM on small scales and compare it to some results coming from Lyman-$alpha$ forest observations. Besides being a clear and pedagogical analytical development to understand the evolution of WDM perturbations, our power spectrum results are consistent with the observations considered and the other determinations of the degree of warmness of dark matter particles.
We compare primordial black hole (PBH) constraints on the power spectrum and mass distributions using the traditional Press Schechter formalism, peaks theory, and a recently developed version of peaks theory relevant to PBHs. We show that, provided the PBH formation criteria and the power spectrum smoothing are treated consistently, the constraints only vary by $sim$10% between methods (a difference that will become increasingly important with better data). Our robust constraints from PBHs take into account the effects of critical collapse, the non-linear relation between $zeta$ and $delta$, and the shift from the PBH mass to the power spectrum peak scale. We show that these constraints are remarkably similar to the pulsar timing array (PTA) constraints impacting the black hole masses detected by the LIGO and Virgo, but that the $mu$-distortion constraints rule out supermassive black hole (SMBH) formation and potentially even the much lighter mass range of $sim$(1-100) $mathrm{M}_odot$ that LIGO/Virgo probes.
The latest Planck results reconfirm the existence of a slight but chronic tension between the best-fit Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and low-redshift observables: power seems to be consistently lacking in the late universe across a range of observables (e.g.~weak lensing, cluster counts). We propose a two-parameter model for dark energy where the dark energy is sufficiently like dark matter at large scales to keep the CMB unchanged but where it does not cluster at small scales, preventing concordance collapse and erasing power. We thus exploit the generic scale-dependence of dark energy instead of the more usual time-dependence to address the tension in the data. The combination of CMB, distance and weak lensing data somewhat prefer our model to $Lambda$CDM, at $Deltachi^2=2.4$. Moreover, this improved solution has $sigma_8=0.79 pm 0.02$, consistent with the value implied by cluster counts.