Large-scale non-Gaussian mass function and halo bias: tests on N-body simulations

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 398; no. 1; pp. 321 - 332
• Main Authors: Grossi, M., Verde, L., Carbone, C., Dolag, K., Branchini, E., Iannuzzi, F., Matarrese, S., Moscardini, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-09-2009; Wiley-Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics; cosmology: theory; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; galaxies: clusters: general; galaxies: haloes; large-scale structure of Universe; methods: N-body simulations; methods: statistical; Simulation; Star & galaxy formation; Stars & galaxies; Statistical methods; methods: statistical; galaxies: clusters: general; methods; large-scale structure of Universe; body simulations; galaxies: haloes; cosmology: theory; Galaxy halo; methods: N; large; Digital simulation; scale structure of Universe; Abundance; N body system; Galaxy clusters; Statistical method; Initial conditions; Mass function; Gravitational collapse; Cosmology; Corrections
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15150.x

The description of the abundance and clustering of haloes for non-Gaussian initial conditions has recently received renewed interest, motivated by the forthcoming large galaxy and cluster surveys, which can potentially yield constraints of the order of unity on the non-Gaussianity parameter fNL. We present tests on N-body simulations of analytical formulae describing the halo abundance and clustering for non-Gaussian initial conditions. We calibrate the analytic non-Gaussian mass function of Matarrese, Verde & Jimenez and LoVerde et al. and the analytic description of clustering of haloes for non-Gaussian initial conditions on N-body simulations. We find an excellent agreement between the simulations and the analytic predictions if we make the corrections and , where q≃ 0.75, in the density threshold for gravitational collapse and in the non-Gaussian fractional correction to the halo bias, respectively. We discuss the implications of this correction on present and forecasted primordial non-Gaussianity constraints. We confirm that the non-Gaussian halo bias offers a robust and highly competitive test of primordial non-Gaussianity.