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arXiv · 1811.07636

Understanding the neutrino mass constraints achievable by combining CMB lensing and spectroscopic galaxy surveys

Aoife Boyle
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Abstract

We perform a thorough examination of the neutrino mass ($M_\nu$) constraints achievable by combining future spectroscopic galaxy surveys with cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments, focusing on the contribution of CMB lensing and galaxy-CMB lensing. CMB lensing can help by breaking the $M_\nu$-curvature degeneracy when combined with baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO)-only measurements, but we demonstrate this combination wastes a great deal of constraining power, as the broadband shape of the power spectrum contributes significantly to constraints. We also expand on previous work to demonstrate how cosmology-independent constraints on $M_\nu$ can be extracted by combining measurements of the scale-dependence in the power spectrum caused by neutrino free-streaming with the full power of future CMB surveys. These free-streaming constraints are independent of the optical depth to the CMB ($\tau$) and competitive with constraints from BAOs for extended cosmologies, even when both are combined with CMB lensing and galaxy-CMB lensing.

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Aoife Boyle. 2018-11-19. Understanding the neutrino mass constraints achievable by combining CMB lensing and spectroscopic galaxy surveys. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516%2F2019%2F04%2F038

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