Improving constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity from Quaia with a new cosmological observable: Angular redshift fluctuations
Astronomy & Astrophysics EDP Sciences 710 (2026) a360
Abstract:
Context. Angular redshift fluctuations (ARFs) 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 galaxy bias, it can be used to constrain primordial non-Gaussianity through the scale-dependent bias effect. Aims. We analyzed a sample of quasars built on Gaia satellite and unWISE data, Quaia to measure the local non-Gaussianity parameter f NL . This sample is particularly suitable for measuring f NL due to its large volume coverage. Methods. We measured the ARF power spectra from the Quaia catalog and combined their information with the 2D (projected) galaxy density and their cross-correlation with the Planck PR4 cosmic microwave background lensing maps to jointly constrain f NL . Results. Assuming the universality relation, we measure f NL = −3 ± 14 at the 68% confidence level by combining Quaia quasar angular density and ARFs with their CMB lensing cross-correlations. Neglecting the ARF – CMB lensing cross-correlation leads to a significant improvement in the model’s goodness-of-fit and yields comparable constraints, f NL = −5 −15 +16 . This result is the second tightest constraint on f NL using LSS two-point statistics to date and the best measurement achieved using two-point projected summary statistics, improving the previous measurement from Quaia by up to ∼25%. Our results support the inclusion of ARFs as an additional cosmological observable in future 2D analyses of upcoming datasets from large surveys.KiDS-Legacy: WIMP dark matter constraints from the cross-correlation of weak lensing and Fermi-LAT gamma rays
Astronomy & Astrophysics EDP Sciences 710 (2026) a80
Abstract:
Dark matter dominates the matter content of the Universe, and its properties can be constrained through large-scale structure probes such as the cross-correlation between the unresolved gamma-ray background (UGRB) and weak gravitational lensing. We analysed 15 years of Fermi–LAT data, constructing UGRB intensity maps in ten energy bins (0.5–1000 GeV), and cross-correlated them with KiDS-Legacy shear in six tomographic bins. The measurements were performed using angular power spectra estimated with the pseudo- C ℓ method. No significant cross-correlation was found. Based on this non-detection, we present 95% upper bounds on the weakly interacting massive particle decay rate Γ dec and velocity-averaged annihilation cross-section ⟨ σ ann v ⟩ as functions of mass. We compared our results with bounds from other cosmological tracers and from local probes, and we found them to be complementary, particularly at low masses (GeV/TeV). In addition, using a Euclid -like lensing survey cross-correlated with Fermi–LAT, we forecast approximately two to four times tighter limits, highlighting the potential of forthcoming data to strengthen constraints on dark matter annihilation and decay.Guiding Multi-Objective Genetic Programming with Description Length Improves Symbolic Regression Solutions
(2026)
The pseudo-Cℓ approach to directional stacking
Physical Review D (2026)
Abstract:
Stacking (i.e. averaging) the value of a given astrophysical field around sources allows us to detect new cosmological signatures, such as the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich, and gain insight on the astrophysical properties of galaxies and their environment. Further information may be gained by orienting these stacks along preferred axes defined by a local directed field, such as the transverse galaxy velocities, galaxy shapes, or the local tidal forces. Examples of this are searches for the moving lens effect, the detection of dipole signatures, or the study of cosmic filaments. Here we show that all directional stacking signals may be reconstructed, without loss of information, in terms of the cross-power spectrum between the quantity of interest and the E and B modes of the spin field used to define the preferred axes weighted by the local galaxy density. The power spectrum approach has several practical advantages, in terms of speed, finite-resolution effects, data visualisation, and combination with other cosmological probes. We also argue that, in some cases, such as stacking using velocities or tidal forces reconstructed from the density field, the recovered signal may be dominated by information that is already present in the cross-spectrum between the target field and the galaxy overdensity itself.
Dipoles for everyone: the pseudo-$C_\ell$ approach to directional stacking
(2026)