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arXiv · 1611.01486

Cosmological constraints from the convergence 1-point probability distribution

Kenneth Patton·Jonathan Blazek·Klaus Honscheid·Eric Huff·Peter Melchior·Ashley J. Ross·Eric Suchyta
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Abstract

We examine the cosmological information available from the 1-point probability distribution (PDF) of the weak-lensing convergence field, utilizing fast L-PICOLA simulations and a Fisher analysis. We find competitive constraints in the $Ω_m$-$σ_8$ plane from the convergence PDF with $188\ arcmin^2$ pixels compared to the cosmic shear power spectrum with an equivalent number of modes ($\ell < 886$). The convergence PDF also partially breaks the degeneracy cosmic shear exhibits in that parameter space. A joint analysis of the convergence PDF and shear 2-point function also reduces the impact of shape measurement systematics, to which the PDF is less susceptible, and improves the total figure of merit by a factor of $2-3$, depending on the level of systematics. Finally, we present a correction factor necessary for calculating the unbiased Fisher information from finite differences using a limited number of cosmological simulations.

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Kenneth Patton, Jonathan Blazek, Klaus Honscheid, Eric Huff, Peter Melchior, Ashley J. Ross, Eric Suchyta. 2016-11-04. Cosmological constraints from the convergence 1-point probability distribution. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstx1626

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