Testing large-angle deviation from Gaussianity in CMB maps
Abstract
A detection of the level of non-Gaussianity in the CMB data is essential to discriminate among inflationary models and also to test alternative primordial scenarios. However, the extraction of primordial non-Gaussianity is a difficult endeavor since several effects of non-primordial nature can produce non-Gaussianity. On the other hand, different statistical tools can in principle provide information about distinct forms of non-Gaussianity. Thus, any single statistical estimator cannot be sensitive to all possible forms of non-Gaussianity. In this context, to shed some light in the potential sources of deviation from Gaussianity in CMB data it is important to use different statistical indicators. In a recent paper we proposed two new large-angle non-Gaussianity indicators which provide measures of the departure from Gaussianity on large angular scales. We used these indicators to carry out analyses of non-Gaussianity of the bands and of the foreground-reduced WMAP maps with and without the KQ75 mask. Here we briefly review the formulation of the non-Gaussianity indicators, and discuss the analyses made by using our indicators.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1005.0883,
title = {Testing large-angle deviation from Gaussianity in CMB maps},
author = {A. Bernui and M. J. Reboucas and A. F. F. Teixeira},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1005.0883},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
3 pages. To appear in the Proc. of 12th Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, Paris, 12--18 July 2009.