Non-Gaussianities in The CMB

Non-Gaussianities in
the CMB
Jon OBryan
Advisor: Asantha Cooray
24 October 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 13
Outline
Background (CMB, open problems in
cosmology)
Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

Varying Alpha
Quantifying Non-Gaussianities
Conclusion
2 / 41
Outline
cosmology)

Varying Alpha
Conclusion
3 / 41
Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB)
4 / 41
Background: CMB
Preface: Big Bang
5 / 41
Background: CMB
Penzias & Wilson: isotropy
6 / 41
Background: CMB
COBE: anisotropies
7 / 41
Background: CMB
WMAP: better resolution
8 / 41
Background: CMB
Planck: even better resolution
9 / 41
Inflation
horizon and flatness
problems
inflation and simple

solutions
non-Gaussian behavior
difficult to detect
10 / 41
Outline
cosmology)

Varying Alpha
Conclusion
11 / 41
Working with the CMB

(
n) =
`
a`m Ym
`m
`
Y
where m are the spherical harmonics
12 / 41
Correlation Functions
power spectrum (2-point correlation
function)
ha`1 m1 a`2 m2 i
= hC`1 i
`1 `2 m 1 m 2
can be used to obtain Gaussian part
13 / 41
CMB Power Spectrum
WMAP team
14 / 41
Higher Order
need additional information for NG part
Bispectrum (3-pt)
`
`
`
ha`1 m1 a`2 m2 a`3 m3 i = B`1 `2 `3
m1
m2
m3
*note the Wigner 3-j enforces the triangle

`2
inequality
`
|`1
`2 | `3 `1 + `2
`3
15 / 41
Higher Order
Trispectrum (4-pt)
ha`1 m1 a`2 m2 a`3 m3 a`4 m4 i =
X
( 1)
LM
`3 `4
(G`1 `2 (L)
`3 `4
T`1 `2 (L))
`1
m1
`2
m2
L
M
`3
m3
`4
m4
`2
L
L
M
`1
`3
`4
16 / 41
Outline
cosmology)

Varying Alpha
Conclusion
17 / 41
(Spatially) Varying Alpha

motivation:
a) claimed observations of a spatially
variation in alpha (Murphy, et. al. Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.

345 (2003) 609)
b) non-trivial effects on the power

spectra, etc.
18 / 41
CMB with Varied Alpha
19 / 41
Finding Spatial
Variations
assuming small perturbations to , we get:
`m
`m +
d
nY`m
which we can then use in our correlation

functions to obtain information about
variations in
20 / 41
Trispectrum
Measurement
want to measure
; we need two
functions to determine the G and NG parts
from
C`
C`
, can constrain the fluctuations of

alpha across the sky
21 / 41
Trispectrum
Calculation
recall the trispectrum from earlier,
ha`1 m1 a`2 m2 a`3 m3 a`4 m4 i =
X
( 1)
LM
T``13``24 (L)
`3 `4
(G`1 `2 (L)
`3 `4
T`1 `2 (L))
`1
m1
`2
m2
L
M
`3
m3
`4
m4
L
M
where we now explicitly calculate

=
@/@
CL F`2 L`1 F`4 L`3 (C`1
*note the unfamiliar
@/@
@/@
C `2
)(C`3
@/@
C`
@/@
C `4
)
functions
22 / 41
@/@
Aside: Calculating C`
using CAMB (Code for Anisotropies in the
Microwave Background), with modifications

@/@
for a varied we obtain C`
OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:

1306.1232
23 / 41
Measured Variation on
Alpha
in , which can
we care about variations
be obtained from C` noting the relation

2
1 X
=
(2` + 1)C`
4
`
24 / 41
Finding
C` : Estimators
idea: data with NG, simulations that are
inherently G -- need a convenient way to
compare to obtain C`
to simulations
ratio of data
leaves C`
(with C`
= 1)
25 / 41
Data Estimator
data estimator: theres a form of this
estimator using weighted maps that comes

out as
h
i
h
i
X
1
(2,2)
(x) (x)
(x) (x)
K`,data =
A B
G D
2` + 1 m
`m
`m
where
(x)
A`m
(x)
`
C`
b` a`m ,
(x)
B`m
(x)
`
C`
b` a`m , etc.
Munshi et al Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 412 (2011) 1993

26 / 41
Weighted Maps
example weighting
weighted maps
(l)
@/@
C`
27 / 41
Theory Estimator
theory estimator: analytical form of this
estimator
(2,2)
K`,th
1
=
(2` + 1)2
@/@
(C`1
`i ,mi ,L,M
2
2
C` F`2 L`1 F`4 L`3
C `1 C `2 C `3 C `4
@/@ 2
@/@
C `2
) (C`3
@/@ 2
C `4
)
Munshi et al Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 412 (2011) 1993

28 / 41
Gaussian Simulations
compare Gaussian simulations of

trispectrum to data to extract C`
OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:1306.1232

29 / 41

C`
OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:1306.1232

30 / 41
Our Results for
rms
< 3.79 10
C`
at z~1100
31 / 41
Comparison with
Other Methods
understanding the results
there are no other measurements!* -- no
one else has measured da/a(x) at z~1100
results for 0.2 < z < 3.7 (Webb); results for

0.4 < z < 2.3 (Chand): (-0.57 +/- 0.10)x10-5
results for z~1100 (da/a(t)) from Planck:

(0.9989 +/- 0.0037)
32 / 41
Outline
cosmology)

Varying Alpha
Conclusion
33 / 41
Non-Gaussian
Motivation
if early inflation fields have non-trivial
interactions, these will be manifest as NG

in the CMB
detectable with higher order correlation

functions
34 / 41
Parametrize NGs
local model
3
9
2
2
= g + fN L [ g h g i] + gN L
5
25
where g is the Gaussian part
3
g
learning our shapes: introduce shape

function
S(`1 , `2 , `3 ) / B (`1 , `2 , `3 )
fN L (`1 `2
`3 )
N L (`1 `2
L) gN L (`1 L
`2)
35 / 41
Return to Bispectrum
and Trispectrum
using the same machinery as before
(trispectrum, estimators, ratio), we can

determine NG parts of trispectrum
weighted2 Znow with

` (r)
k 2 dk gT ` (k)j` (kr)
0
Z 1
2
2
(r)
k
dk P (k) gT ` (k)j` (kr)
`
0
where P (k) is the primordial power
spectrum of curvature perturbations

36 / 41
Potential Problems
analytical trispectrum requires careful

interpolations (~1e16 points!)
37 / 41
Outline
cosmology)

Varying Alpha
Conclusion
38 / 41
Conclusion
CMB is a powerful tool for measurements
and meets our theoretical expectations
very well
Able to leverage the precision of the CMB

through correlation functions to make
novel measurements related to nongaussianity
39 / 41
Timeline of Progress
Fall Quarter, 2013:
finish analytical trispectrum code

start NG analysis and paper
Winter Quarter, 2014:
keep working on NG analysis and paper

start drafting thesis
Spring Quarter, 2014:
finish NG analysis and paper

finish and defend thesis
40 / 41
Thank You!
41 / 41

Non-Gaussianities in The CMB

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Non-Gaussianities in

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

Preface: Big Bang

inflation and simple

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

Working with the CMB

can be used to obtain Gaussian part

CMB Power Spectrum

*note the Wigner 3-j enforces the triangle

Wednesday, October 23, 13

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

(Spatially) Varying Alpha

variation in alpha (Murphy, et. al. Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.

b) non-trivial effects on the power

CMB with Varied Alpha

which we can then use in our correlation

, can constrain the fluctuations of

where we now explicitly calculate

CL F`2 L`1 F`4 L`3 (C`1

*note the unfamiliar

Wednesday, October 23, 13

using CAMB (Code for Anisotropies in the

Microwave Background), with modifications

for a varied we obtain C`

OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:

be obtained from C` noting the relation

idea: data with NG, simulations that are

inherently G -- need a convenient way to

estimator using weighted maps that comes

Munshi et al Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 412 (2011) 1993

Munshi et al Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 412 (2011) 1993

compare Gaussian simulations of

OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:1306.1232

OBryan et al (2013) arXiv:1306.1232

Our Results for

results for 0.2 < z < 3.7 (Webb); results for

results for z~1100 (da/a(t)) from Planck:

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

interactions, these will be manifest as NG

detectable with higher order correlation

learning our shapes: introduce shape

Wednesday, October 23, 13

using the same machinery as before

(trispectrum, estimators, ratio), we can

weighted2 Znow with

spectrum of curvature perturbations

analytical trispectrum requires careful

Measurements Using Non-Gaussianities

Able to leverage the precision of the CMB

Wednesday, October 23, 13

Fall Quarter, 2013:

finish analytical trispectrum code

Winter Quarter, 2014:

keep working on NG analysis and paper

Spring Quarter, 2014:

finish NG analysis and paper

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