Open AccessEstimating the bispectrum of the Very Small Array data
Author(s) -
Smith Sarah,
Rocha Graça,
Challinor Anthony,
Battye Richard A.,
Carreira Pedro,
Cleary Kieran,
Davies Rod D.,
Davis Richard J.,
Dickinson Clive,
GenovaSantos Ricardo,
Grainge Keith,
Gutiérrez Carlos M.,
Hafez Yaser A.,
Hobson Michael P.,
Jones Michael E.,
Kneissl Rüdiger,
Lancaster Katy,
Lasenby Anthony,
Leahy J. P.,
Maisinger Klaus,
Pooley Guy G.,
Rajguru Nutan,
Rebolo Rafael,
Alberto RubiñoMartin José,
Sosa Molina Pedro,
Saunders Richard D.E.,
Savage Richard S.,
Scott Paul,
Slosar Anže,
Taylor Angela C.,
Titterington David,
Waldram Elizabeth,
Watson Robert A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07885.x
Subject(s) - bispectrum , physics , estimator , gaussian , limit (mathematics) , statistics , statistical physics , spectral density , mathematical analysis , mathematics , quantum mechanics
We estimate the bispectrum of the Very Small Array data from the compact and extended configuration observations released in 2002 December, and compare our results with those obtained from Gaussian simulations. There is a slight excess of large bispectrum values for two individual fields, but this does not appear when the fields are combined. Given our expected level of residual point sources, we do not expect these to be the source of the discrepancy. Using the compact configuration data, we put an upper limit of 5400 on the value of f NL , the non‐linear coupling parameter, at 95 per cent confidence. We test our bispectrum estimator using non‐Gaussian simulations with a known bispectrum, and recover the input values.