ABSTRACT The scattering transform is a wavelet-based statistic capable of capturing non-Gaussian features in weak lensing (WL) convergence maps and has been proven to tighten cosmological parameter constraints by accessing information beyond two-point functions. However, its application in cosmological inference requires a clear understanding of its sensitivity to astrophysical systematics, the most significant of which are baryonic effects. These processes substantially modify the matter distribution on small to intermediate scales (k 0. 1\, h\, Mpc^-1), leaving scale-dependent imprints on the WL convergence field. We systematically examine the impact of baryonic feedback on scattering coefficients using full-sky WL convergence maps with Stage IV survey characteristics, generated from the FLAMINGO simulation suite. These simulations include a broad range of feedback models, calibrated to match the observed cluster gas fraction and galaxy stellar mass function, including systematically shifted variations, and incorporating either thermal or jet-mode active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. We characterize baryonic effects using a baryonic transfer function defined as the ratio of hydrodynamical to dark-matter-only scattering coefficients. While the coefficients themselves are sensitive to both cosmology and feedback, the transfer function remains largely insensitive to cosmology and shows a strong response to feedback, with suppression reaching up to 10 per cent on scales of k 0. 1\, h\, Mpc^-1. We also demonstrate that shape noise significantly diminishes the sensitivity of the scattering coefficients to baryonic effects, reducing the suppression from ∼2–10 per cent to ∼1 per cent, even with 1. 5 arcmin Gaussian smoothing. This highlights the need for noise mitigation strategies and high-resolution data in future WL surveys.
Marinichenko et al. (Tue,) studied this question.