Constraining Baryonic Feedback Effects on the Matter Power Spectrum with Fast Radio Bursts

TL;DR

This paper explores how fast radio bursts can be used as a new tool to understand and constrain the effects of baryonic feedback on the matter power spectrum, which is crucial for upcoming cosmological surveys.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method using FRB observations to quantify baryonic feedback effects, improving the accuracy of cosmological measurements.

Findings

FRB statistics strongly correlate with baryonic impact indicators.

The correlation is independent of simulation subgrid models and cosmology.

Proposes steps to utilize upcoming FRB data for cosmological constraints.

Abstract

In the age of large-scale galaxy and lensing surveys, such as DESI, Euclid, Roman and Rubin, we stand poised to usher in a transformative new phase of data-driven cosmology. To fully harness the capabilities of these surveys, it is critical to constrain the poorly understood influence of baryon feedback physics on the matter power spectrum. We investigate the use of a powerful and novel cosmological probe - fast radio bursts (FRBs) - to capture baryonic effects on the matter power spectrum, leveraging simulations from the CAMELS projects, including IllustrisTNG, SIMBA, and Astrid. We find that FRB statistics exhibit a strong correlation, independent of the subgrid model and cosmology, with quantities known to encapsulate baryonic impacts on the matter power spectrum, such as baryon spread and the halo baryon fraction. We propose an innovative method utilizing FRB observations to quantify the effects of feedback physics and enhance weak lensing measurements of $S_{8}$. We outline the necessary steps to prepare for the imminent detection of large FRB populations in the coming years, focusing on understanding the redshift evolution of FRB observables and mitigating the effects of cosmic variance.