Transients from Zel'dovich initial conditions

We investigate the error implied by the use of the Zel'dovich approximation to set up the initial conditions at a finite redshift zi in numerical simulations. Using a steepest-descent method developed in a previous work we derive the probability distribution P(delta_R) of the density contrast in the quasi-linear regime. This also provides its dependence on the redshift zi at which the simulation is started. Thus, we find that the discrepancy with the exact pdf (defined by the limit zi->infinity) is negligible after the scale factor has grown by a factor a/a_i>5, for scales which were initially within the linear regime with sigma_i>0.1. This shows that the use of the Zel'dovich approximation to implement the initial conditions is sufficient for practical purposes since these are not very severe constraints.Comment: 6 pages, final version published in A&

Explicit computation of shear three-point correlation functions: the one-halo model case

We present a method for calculating explicit expressions of the shear three-point function for various cosmological models. The method is applied here to the one-halo model in case of power law density profiles for which results are detailed. The three-point functions are found to reproduce to a large extent patterns in the shear correlations obtained in numerical simulations and may serve as a guideline to implement optimized methods for detecting the shear three-point function. In principle, the general method presented here can also be applied for other models of matter correlation.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, submitted to A

Dynamics of gravitational clustering II. Steepest-descent method for the quasi-linear regime

We develop a non-perturbative method to derive the probability distribution $P(\delta_R)$ of the density contrast within spherical cells in the quasi-linear regime. Indeed, since this corresponds to a rare-event limit a steepest-descent approximation can yield asymptotically exact results. We check that this is the case for Gaussian initial density fluctuations, where we recover most of the results obtained by perturbative methods from a hydrodynamical description. Moreover, we correct an error which was introduced in previous works for the high-density tail of the pdf. This feature, which appears for power-spectra with a slope $n<0$, points out the limitations of perturbative approaches which cannot describe the pdf $P(\delta_R)$ for \delta_R \ga 3 even in the limit $\sigma \to 0$. This break-up does not involve shell-crossing and it is naturally explained within our framework. Thus, our approach provides a rigorous treatment of the quasi-linear regime, which does not rely on the hydrodynamical approximation for the equations of motion. Besides, it is actually simpler and more intuitive than previous methods. Our approach can also be applied to non-Gaussian initial conditions.Comment: 18 pages, final version published in A&

Mode coupling evolution in arbitrary inflationary backgrounds

The evolution of high order correlation functions of a test scalar field in arbitrary inflationary backgrounds is computed. Whenever possible, exact results are derived from quantum field theory calculations. Taking advantage of the fact that such calculations can be mapped, for super-horizon scales, into those of a classical system, we express the expected correlation functions in terms of classical quantities, power spectra, Green functions, that can be easily computed in the long-wavelength limit. Explicit results are presented that extend those already known for a de Sitter background. In particular the expressions of the late time amplitude of bispectrum and trispectrum, as well as the whole high-order correlation structure, are given in terms of the expansion factor behavior. When compared to the case of a de Sitter background, power law inflation and chaotic inflation induced by a massive field are found to induce high order correlation functions the amplitudes of which are amplified by almost one order of magnitude. These results indicate that the dependence of the related non-Gaussian parameters - such as f_NL - on the wave-modes is at percent level.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. Revised version with correction of typos and more detailed discussions on the validity regime of the calculation

Constraints on higher-dimensional gravity from the cosmic shear three-point correlation function

With the developments of large galaxy surveys or cosmic shear surveys it is now possible to map the dark matter distribution at truly cosmological scales. Detailed examinations of the statistical properties of the dark matter distribution reveal the detail of the large-scale structure growth of the Universe. In particular it is shown here that the behavior of the density field bi-spectrum is sensitive to departure from normal gravity in a way which depends only weakly on the background evolution. The cosmic shear bispectrum appears to be particularly sensitive to changes in the Poisson equation: we show that the current cosmic shear data can already be used to infer constraints on the scale of a possible higher-dimensional gravity, above 2 h^{-1}Mpc.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR