DeepLSS: breaking parameter degeneracies in large scale structure with deep learning analysis of combined probes

In classical cosmological analysis of large scale structure surveys with 2-pt functions, the parameter measurement precision is limited by several key degeneracies within the cosmology and astrophysics sectors. For cosmic shear, clustering amplitude $\sigma_8$ and matter density $\Omega_m$ roughly follow the $S_8=\sigma_8(\Omega_m/0.3)^{0.5}$ relation. In turn, $S_8$ is highly correlated with the intrinsic galaxy alignment amplitude $A_{\rm{IA}}$. For galaxy clustering, the bias $b_g$ is degenerate with both $\sigma_8$ and $\Omega_m$, as well as the stochasticity $r_g$. Moreover, the redshift evolution of IA and bias can cause further parameter confusion. A tomographic 2-pt probe combination can partially lift these degeneracies. In this work we demonstrate that a deep learning analysis of combined probes of weak gravitational lensing and galaxy clustering, which we call DeepLSS, can effectively break these degeneracies and yield significantly more precise constraints on $\sigma_8$, $\Omega_m$, $A_{\rm{IA}}$, $b_g$, $r_g$, and IA redshift evolution parameter $\eta_{\rm{IA}}$. The most significant gains are in the IA sector: the precision of $A_{\rm{IA}}$ is increased by approximately 8x and is almost perfectly decorrelated from $S_8$. Galaxy bias $b_g$ is improved by 1.5x, stochasticity $r_g$ by 3x, and the redshift evolution $\eta_{\rm{IA}}$ and $\eta_b$ by 1.6x. Breaking these degeneracies leads to a significant gain in constraining power for $\sigma_8$ and $\Omega_m$, with the figure of merit improved by 15x. We give an intuitive explanation for the origin of this information gain using sensitivity maps. These results indicate that the fully numerical, map-based forward modeling approach to cosmological inference with machine learning may play an important role in upcoming LSS surveys. We discuss perspectives and challenges in its practical deployment for a full survey analysis.