The growth of correlations in the matter power spectrum

Abstract

We find statistically significant correlations in the cosmological matter power spectrum over the full range of observable scales. While the correlations between individual modes are weak, the band-averaged power spectrum shows strong non-trivial correlations. The correlations are significant when the modes in either one or both bands are in the non-linear regime, and approach 100 per cent for pairs of bands in which all the modes are non-linear. The correlations are weaker, but not absent, when computed in redshift space. As estimates of the power spectrum from galaxy surveys require band-averaging, the correlations must be taken into account when comparing a measured power spectrum with theoretical models.