Analysis of BOSS Galaxy Data with Weighted Skew-Spectra

Abstract

We present the first application of the weighted skew-spectra to analyze non-Gaussian information in galaxy survey data. Using the tree-level galaxy skew-spectra together with the one-loop power spectrum multipoles, we analyze the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxy clustering data, and target our search towards the equilateral bispectrum shape of primordial non-Gaussianity. We use the Effective Field Theory model for the galaxy power spectrum and bispectrum, and account for systematic effects, such as the survey geometry. From our likelihood analysis, we find $f_{\mathrm{NL}}^{\mathrm{equil}}=-34_{-334}^{+296}$ at $68\%$ CL, consistent with previous works, while systematic errors from our treatment of the survey geometry lead to an unreliable estimation of $f_{\mathrm{NL}}^{\mathrm{ortho}}$. We further constrain the bias and counterterm parameters, while keeping the cosmology fixed to $\text{Planck }2018$ values. As a check, we also validate our analysis pipeline using the $\mathtt{Nseries}$ simulation suite.

31 pages, 1 figure, 3 tables