2003/10/31 by P. Vielva, E. Martinez-Gonzalez, E. Martínez-González +4 · 502 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Anisotropy #Artificial intelligence #Astrophysics #Bispectrum #CMB cold spot #Computational physics #Computer science #Cosmic background radiation #Cosmic microwave background #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Gaussian #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Kurtosis #Mathematics #Non-Gaussianity #Optics #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Skewness #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Spectral density #Statistical physics #Statistics #Wavelet #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/421007
published in The Astrophysical Journal 609(1), 22-34 (IOP Publishing) · 33 pages, 14 figures. Revised to match version accepted for publication in ApJ
arxiv created 2004/03/15 · openalex publication_date 2004/06/21 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/08
A non-Gaussian detection in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe ( WMAP ) first-year data is reported. The detection has been found in the combined Q - V - W map proposed by the WMAP team after applying a wavelet technique based on the spherical Mexican hat wavelet (SMHW). The skewness and the kurtosis of the SMHW coefficients are calculated at different scales (ranging from a few arcminutes to tens of degrees). A non-Gaussian signal is detected at scales of the SMHW around 4 ° (size in the sky of around 10 ° ). The right-tail probability of the detection is ≈0.4%. In addition, a study of Gaussianity is performed in each hemisphere. The northern hemisphere is compatible with Gaussianity, whereas the southern one deviates from Gaussianity with a right-tail probability of ≈0.1%. Systematics, foregrounds, and uncertainties in the estimation of the cosmological parameters are carefully studied in order to identify the possible source of non-Gaussianity. The detected deviation from Gaussianity is not found to be caused by systematic effects: (1) Each one of the Q, V, and W receivers shows the same non-Gaussianity pattern. (2) Several combinations of the different receivers at each frequency band—which highly reduce the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the foreground emissions—do not show this non-Gaussian pattern. Similarly, Galactic foregrounds show a negligible contribution to the non-Gaussian detection: non-Gaussianity is detected in all the WMAP maps (from 23 to 94 GHz), and no frequency dependence is observed. Moreover, the expected foreground contribution to the combined WMAP map was added to CMB Gaussian simulations showing a behavior compatible with the Gaussian model. The influence of uncertainties in the CMB power spectrum estimation are also quantified. Hence, possible intrinsic temperature fluctuations (such as secondary anisotropies and primordial features) cannot be rejected as the source of this non-Gaussian detection. We remark that our result implies not only asymmetries north/south—like other previous WMAP analyses—but also a direct non-Gaussian detection.