Work

Exact extreme value statistics and the halo mass function

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Motivated by observations that suggest the presence of extremely massive clusters at uncomfortably high redshifts for the standard cosmological model to explain, we develop a theoretical framework for the study of the most massive haloes, e.g. the most massive cluster found in a given volume, based on extreme value statistics (EVS). We proceed from the exact distribution of the extreme values drawn from a known underlying distribution, rather than relying on asymptotic theory (which is independent of the underlying form), arguing that the former is much more likely to furnish robust statistical results. We illustrate this argument with a discussion of the use of extreme value statistics as a probe of primordial non-Gaussianity.

Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters

DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01134.x

Authors: Ian Harrison, Peter Coles

Institution: Cardiff University

Language: English

Topic: Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Science and Technology Facilities Council

Awards: G3644262654, G5931025975