Improving constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity from Quaia with a new cosmological observable: angular redshift fluctuations

TL;DR

This paper introduces angular redshift fluctuations as a new observable to improve constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity, demonstrating its effectiveness with the Quaia quasar sample and combining it with other data to tighten existing limits.

Contribution

It presents the first application of ARF to constrain $f_{NL}$ using a large quasar sample, achieving the tightest 2D projected constraints to date and highlighting ARF's potential for future surveys.

Findings

Measured $f_{NL} = -3 \, extpm 14$ with ARF and galaxy data.

Achieved the second-tightest constraint on $f_{NL}$ from LSS two-point statistics.

Improved previous Quaia constraints by approximately 25%.

Abstract

Angular redshift fluctuations (ARF) are a new cosmological observable, recently proposed in the literature. It measures the 2D angular deviations of the average redshift of a given matter tracer under an input redshift shell. Since it depends on the galaxy bias, it can be used to constrain primordial non-Gaussianity through the scale-dependent bias effect. We analyze a sample of quasars built upon the Gaia satellite and unWISE data, Quaia, to measure the local non-Gaussianity parameter $f_{\rm NL}$. This sample is particularly suitable for measuring $f_{\rm NL}$ due to its large volume coverage. We measure the ARF power spectra from the Quaia catalog and combine their information with the 2D (projected) galaxy density and their cross-correlation with the $Planck$ PR4 CMB lensing maps lensing to jointly constrain $f_{\rm NL}$. Assuming the universality relation, we measure $f_{\rm NL} = -3 \pm 14$ at 68% confidence level by combining Quaia quasar angular density and ARF with the CMB lensing. This result is the second tightest constraint on $f_{\rm NL}$ using LSS two-point statistics to date and the best measurement achieved using two-point projected summary statistics, improving by $\sim$25% the previous measurement from Quaia. Our results motivate the inclusion of ARF as an additional cosmological observable in future 2D analysis of upcoming datasets from large surveys.