Euclid: Reconstruction of Weak Lensing mass maps for non-Gaussianity studies

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new mass-inversion method, KS+, for weak lensing convergence maps in Euclid, improving the accuracy of non-Gaussianity studies by reducing information loss and correcting systematic effects.

Contribution

The paper presents the KS+ mass-inversion method, an enhancement over the standard Kaiser & Squires approach, tailored for Euclid's full-sky weak lensing surveys.

Findings

KS+ reduces systematic effects in mass maps

Improved reconstruction quality over KS method

Better estimation of higher-order moments

Abstract

Weak lensing, which is the deflection of light by matter along the line of sight, has proven to be an efficient method for constraining models of structure formation and reveal the nature of dark energy. So far, most weak-lensing studies have focused on the shear field that can be measured directly from the ellipticity of background galaxies. However, within the context of forthcoming full-sky weak-lensing surveys such as Euclid, convergence maps (mass maps) offer an important advantage over shear fields in terms of cosmological exploitation. While it carry the same information, the lensing signal is more compressed in the convergence maps than in the shear field. This simplifies otherwise computationally expensive analyses, for instance, non-Gaussianity studies. However, the inversion of the non-local shear field requires accurate control of systematic effects caused by holes in the data field, field borders, shape noise, and the fact that the shear is not a direct observable (reduced shear). We present the two mass-inversion methods that are included in the official Euclid data-processing pipeline: the standard Kaiser & Squires method (KS), and a new mass-inversion method (KS+) that aims to reduce the information loss during the mass inversion. This new method is based on the KS method and includes corrections for mass-mapping systematic effects. The results of the KS+ method are compared to the original implementation of the KS method in its simplest form, using the Euclid Flagship mock galaxy catalogue. In particular, we estimate the quality of the reconstruction by comparing the two-point correlation functions and third- and fourth- order moments obtained from shear and convergence maps, and we analyse each systematic effect independently and simultaneously...