Cross-correlation of CFHTLenS galaxy catalogue and Planck CMB lensing using the halo model prescription

Aims. I cross-correlate the galaxy counts from the Canada-France Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS) galaxy catalogue and cosmic microwave background (CMB) convergence from the Planck data releases 1 (2013) and 2 (2015). Methods. I improve on an earlier study by computing an analytic covariance from the halo model, implementing simulations to validate the theoretically estimated error bars and the reconstruction method, fitting both a galaxy bias and a cross-correlation amplitude using the joint cross and galaxy auto-correlation, and performing a series of null tests. Results. Using a Bayesian analysis, I find a galaxy bias b = 0.92(-0.02)(+0.02) and a cross-correlation amplitude A = 0.85(-0.16)(+0.15) for the 2015 release, whereas for the 2013 release, I find b = 0.93(-0.02)(+0.02) and A = 1.05(-0.15)(+0.15). Conclusions. I thus confirm the difference between the two releases found earlier, although both values of the amplitude now appear to be compatible with the fiducial value A = 1.