A new signature of primordial non-Gaussianities from the abundance of galaxy clusters

A. M. M. Trindade

Abstract.
The evolution with time of the abundance of galaxy clusters is very sensitive to the statistical properties of the primordial density perturbations. It can thus be used to probe small deviations from Gaussianity in the initial conditions. The characterization of such deviations would help distinguish between different inflationary scenarios and provide us with information on physical processes which took place in the early Universe. We have found that when the information contained in the galaxy cluster counts is used to reconstruct the dark energy equation of state as a function of redshift, assuming erroneously that no primordial non-Gaussianities exist, apparent evolution with time in the effective dark energy equation of state arises, characterized by the appearance of a clear discontinuity.

The 1st IDPASC PhD Students Workshop
Coimbra, Portugal
October 2012

Type: Poster