The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Multi-probe cosmology with unWISE galaxies and ACT DR6 CMB lensing

September 3, 2024·
Gerrit S. Farren
Gerrit S. Farren
,
Alex Krolewski
,
Frank J. Qu
,
Simone Ferraro
,
et al.
· 1 min read
Abstract
We present a joint analysis of the CMB lensing power spectra measured from the Data Release 6 of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and Planck PR4, cross-correlations between the ACT and Planck lensing reconstruction and galaxy clustering from unWISE, and the unWISE clustering auto-spectrum. We obtain 1.5% constraints on the matter density fluctuations at late times parametrised by the best constrained parameter combination $S_8^{\rm 3x2pt}\equiv\sigma_8 (\Omega_m/0.3)^{0.4}=0.815\pm0.012$. The commonly used $S_8\equiv\sigma_8 (\Omega_m/0.3)^{0.5}$ parameter is constrained to $S_8=0.816\pm0.015$. In combination with baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements we find $\sigma_8=0.815\pm 0.012$. We also present sound-horizon-independent estimates of the present-day Hubble rate of $H_0=66.4^{+3.2}_{-3.7}\,\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}\mathrm{Mpc}^{-1}$ from our large-scale-structure data alone and $H_0=64.3^{+2.1}_{-2.4}\,\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}\mathrm{Mpc}^{-1}$ in combination with uncalibrated supernovae from Pantheon+. Using parametric estimates of the evolution of matter density fluctuations, we place constraints on cosmic structure in a range of high redshifts typically inaccessible with cross-correlation analyses. Combining lensing cross- and auto-correlations, we derive a 3.3% constraint on the integrated matter density fluctuations above $z=2.4$, one of the tightest constraints in this redshift range and fully consistent with a $\Lambda$CDM model fit to the primary CMB from Planck. Combining with primary CMB observations and using the extended low-redshift coverage of these combined data sets we derive constraints on a variety of extensions to the $\Lambda$CDM model including massive neutrinos, spatial curvature, and dark energy. We find in flat $\Lambda$CDM $\sum m_\nu<0.12$ eV at 95% confidence using the LSS data, BAO measurements from SDSS and primary CMB observations.
Type
Publication
Physical Review D 111, 083516
publications

A joint multi-probe analysis combining the unWISE galaxy auto-correlation, the galaxy–CMB-lensing cross-correlation, and the CMB lensing auto-spectrum to tighten constraints on structure growth across two redshift bins. See the unWISE × ACT DR6 CMB lensing project for the broader program.

Gerrit S. Farren
Authors
Cosmologist & Data Scientist | Mapping the Universe at Scale
Cosmologist working on multi-probe analyses of the largest cosmological datasets. I build large scale analysis pipelines that combine Bayesian inference, distributed/HPC computing, and careful systematics control to turn modern survey data into robust physical insight.