A First Detection of the Connected 4-Point Correlation Function of Galaxies Using the BOSS CMASS Sample

Understand

We present an $8.1\sigma$ detection of the non-Gaussian 4-Point Correlation Function (4PCF) using a sample of $N_{\rm g} \approx 8\times 10^5$ galaxies from the BOSS CMASS dataset.

• Our measurement uses the $\mathcal{O}(N_{\rm g}^2)$ NPCF estimator of Philcox et al.
• (2021), including a new modification to subtract the disconnected 4PCF contribution (arising from the product of two 2PCFs) at the estimator level.
• This approach is unlike previous work and ensures that our signal is a robust detection of gravitationally-induced non-Gaussianity.