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    Reanalyzing DESI DR1. V. Cosmological constraints with simulation-based priors

    Anton Chudaykin1,*, Mikhail M. Ivanov2,3,†, and Oliver H. E. Philcox4,5,‡

    • *Contact author: anton.chudaykin@unige.ch
    • †Contact author: ivanov99@mit.edu
    • ‡Contact author: ohep2@cantab.ac.uk

    Phys. Rev. D 114, 063527 – Published 17 September, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/lg1n-k1rl

    Abstract

    We analyze the public DESI full-shape clustering data using simulation-based priors (SBPs). Our priors are obtained by fitting normalizing flows to the distribution of effective field theory parameters measured from field-level simulations, themselves generated using tailored halo occupation distribution (HOD) models for each tracer. Incorporating SBPs in a power spectrum analysis significantly enhances ΛCDM cosmological parameter constraints; in combination with baryon acoustic oscillations information from DESI DR2 and a Big Bang nucleosynthesis prior on the baryon density, we find the matter density parameter Ωm=0.2987±0.0066, the Hubble constant H0=68.80±0.35  km s−1 Mpc−1, and the mass fluctuation amplitude σ8=0.766±0.015 (or the lensing parameter S8=0.764±0.018), which are 1%, 40%, and 50% stronger than the baseline results, though with a notable downward shift in σ8, driven by the quasar HOD assumptions. The SBPs also have a significant impact in extended models, with the dark energy figure-of-merit improving by 70% (20%) in a w0waCDM analysis when combining with the CMB (and supernovae). In the SBP analysis, we do not find statistically significant evidence for dynamical dark energy: the equation of state parameters are consistent with a cosmological constant within 2.2σ (1.4σ) in analyses without (with) supernovae. The neutrino mass constraints are also enhanced, with the 95% limits Mν<0.073  eV and Mν<0.090  eV in ΛCDM and w0waCDM, respectively. The latter is the strongest constraint obtained to date and reinforces the preference for the normal neutrino mass hierarchy, regardless of the background dynamics. While our results are sensitive to HOD modeling assumptions, they clearly demonstrate that the inclusion of small-scale information can significantly sharpen cosmological parameter constraints.

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    See Also

    Reanalyzing DESI DR1: IV. Percent-level cosmological constraints from combined probes and robust evidence for the normal neutrino mass hierarchy

    Mikhail M. Ivanov, James M. Sullivan, Roger de Belsunce, Shi-Fan Chen, Anton Chudaykin, Mark Maus, and Oliver H. E. Philcox
    Phys. Rev. D 114, 063526 (2026)

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