Estimation of the noise covariance map of a smoothed datasets.

1.  1-D Polar covariance maps smoothing

When smoothing a 1-D n-pixel map m, we convolve it with a Gaussian kernel K_\sigma, with $\sigma$ being the bandwidth. The resulting smoothed map at pixel p becomes

\tilde m_p = K_\sigma * m ~~~~~ \text{with} ~~~~~K_\sigma(p) \equiv \frac 1 {\sigma^2} \exp\left(\frac {p^2}{2\sigma^2}\right)

with * the convolution product. Since we work in pixel space, the convolution becomes \tilde m_p = \frac 1{ n_{}}\sum_{p'}^{n_{}} K_\sigma(p-p') m_{p'}

From it, the covariance of the smoothed maps \tilde x and \tilde y then becomes

Cov[\tilde x_p, \tilde y_p] = Cov[K_\sigma * x, K_\sigma * y]

Cov[\tilde x_p, \tilde y_p] = K^2_\sigma * Cov[ x, y]

Cov[\tilde x_p, \tilde y_p] = \frac12\frac1{\sigma^2 n_{}} K_{\sigma/\sqrt2} * Cov[ x, y].

We conclude that the resulting covariance of two smoothed maps \tilde x and \tilde y by a Gaussian kernel K_\sigma is equivalent to the smoothing of the initial covariance map between x and y by a Gaussian kernel \displaystyle \frac{K_{\sigma/\sqrt 2}}{2\sigma^2 n_{}}.

As a more detailed calculation, let \tilde m(p) = \frac1{n} \sum_i^n K_\sigma(p-p') m(p')

the value of the $n$-pixel smoothed map at pixel p, with \displaystyle K_\sigma(p) \equiv \frac 1 {\sigma^2} \exp\left(-\frac12 \frac{p^2}{\sigma^2}\right) the Gaussian smoothing kernel. Thus,

Var[\tilde m (p)] = E [\tilde m(p)^2] - E [\tilde m(p)]^2

Var[\tilde m (p)] = E \left[\frac1 { n^2} \sum_i^n K_\sigma(p-p_i)m(p_i)\sum_j^n K_\sigma(p-p_j)m(p_j) \right] - \frac1 {n^2} \left( \sum_i^n K(p-p_i) \underbrace{E [m(p_i)]}_{=0} \right)^2

Var[\tilde m (p)] = \frac1 {n^2} \left(\sum_i^n K_\sigma^2(p-p_i) E[m(p_i)^2] + \sum_{i\neq j}^n K_\sigma(p-p_i)K_\sigma(p-p_j)\underbrace{ E[m(p_i)m(p_j)]}_{=0}\right)

Var[\tilde m (p)] =\frac1 {n^2} \sum_i^n K_\sigma^2(p-p_i) Var[m(p_i)]

Var[\tilde m (p)] =\frac 12 \frac1 {\sigma^2 n} \left(\sum_i^n K_{\sigma/\sqrt2}(p-p_i) Var[m(p_i)]\right).

Since

K_{\sigma}(p)^2 = \frac 1 {\sigma^4} \exp\left(-\frac{p^2}{\sigma^2}\right) = \frac 12\frac 1 {\sigma^2} K_{\sigma/\sqrt2}(p)

  • This result is only valid for computation of the variance of smoothed noise maps.
  • Since gaussian smoothing correlates neighbouring pixels, the noise map cannot be represented by a diagonal pixel covariance matrix anymore, and the noise spectrum is not flat anymore.
  • Noise map generated from the new variance map are accurate only for small smoothing bandwidths.
  • Kernel must be discrete
  • Their is a factor 1/2 of difference when using the healpix smoothing, as if

K_{\sigma}(p)^2 = \frac 1 {\sigma^4} \exp\left(-\frac{p^2}{\sigma^2}\right) = \frac 1 {\sigma^2} K_{\sigma/\sqrt2}(p)

2.  2-D Polar covariance maps smoothing

  • to do : investigate heapix smoothing implementation

3.  Validation simulations

  • First set :
    • Smooth cov maps as described above
    • Generate noises maps
    • compute new cov maps from MC
  • Seconde set :
    • Generate noises maps
    • Smooth noise maps
    • compute new cov maps from MC
  • Compare :
First setsecond set
Attach:CovSmoothing_QQfromsmoothCov_ns128_nsimu1000_fwhmged3.0.png ΔAttach:CovSmoothing_QQfromsmoothMC_ns128_nsimu1000_fwhmged3.0.png Δ
pixels list comparisonAttach:CovSmoothingValidation_ns128_nsimu1000_fwhmged3.0.png Δ
cls noise comparisonAttach:CovSmoothing_QQfromsmoothCov_ns128_nsimu1000_fwhmged3.0.png Δ