AbacusPNG: A modest set of simulations of local-type primordial non-Gaussianity in the DESI era

Understand

A measurement of a primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) signal through late- or early-Universe probes has the potential to transform our understanding of the physics of the primordial Universe.

• $N$-body simulations, such as the public \textsc{AbacusPNG} set presented in this study, consisting of 9 boxes, each of size $L_{\rm box} = 2~{\rm Gpc}/h$ and particle mass of $1.01 \times 10^{10} \ M_\odot/h$, provide a viable path forward.
• As validation, we find good agreement between the simulations and our expectations from one-loop perturbation theory and the `separate universe' method for the matter bispectrum, matter power spectrum and the halo bias parameter associated with PNG, $b_\phi$.
• As a science application, we investigate the link between halo assembly bias and $b_\phi$ for halo properties known to play a vital role in accurately predicting galaxy clustering: concentration, shear (environment), and accretion rate.