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arXiv · 1602.00674

LSS constraints with controlled theoretical uncertainties

Tobias Baldauf·Mehrdad Mirbabayi·Marko Simonović·Matias Zaldarriaga
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Abstract

Forecasts and analyses of cosmological observations often rely on the assumption of a perfect theoretical model over a defined range of scales. We explore how model uncertainties and nuisance parameters in perturbative models of the matter and galaxy spectra affect constraints on neutrino mass and primordial non-Gaussianities. We provide a consistent treatment of theoretical errors and argue that their inclusion is a necessary step to obtain realistic cosmological constraints. We find that galaxy surveys up to high redshifts will allow a detection of the minimal neutrino mass and local non-Gaussianity of order unity, but improving the constraints on equilateral non-Gaussianity beyond the CMB limits will be challenging. We argue that similar considerations apply to analyses where theoretical models are based on simulations.

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Tobias Baldauf, Mehrdad Mirbabayi, Marko Simonović, Matias Zaldarriaga. 2016-02-01. LSS constraints with controlled theoretical uncertainties. https://arxiv.org/abs/1602.00674

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