Testing large-angle deviation from Gaussianity in CMB maps
  A detection of the level of non-Gaussianity in the CMB data is essential to
discriminate among inflationary models and also to test alternative primordial
scenarios. However, the extraction of primordial non-Gaussianity is a difficult
endeavor since several effects of non-primordial nature can produce
non-Gaussianity. On the other hand, different statistical tools can in
principle provide information about distinct forms of non-Gaussianity. Thus,
any single statistical estimator cannot be sensitive to all possible forms of
non-Gaussianity. In this context, to shed some light in the potential sources
of deviation from Gaussianity in CMB data it is important to use different
statistical indicators. In a recent paper we proposed two new large-angle
non-Gaussianity indicators which provide measures of the departure from
Gaussianity on large angular scales. We used these indicators to carry out
analyses of non-Gaussianity of the bands and of the foreground-reduced WMAP
maps with and without the KQ75 mask. Here we briefly review the formulation of
the non-Gaussianity indicators, and discuss the analyses made by using our
indicators.
