Evolution in the Clustering of Galaxies forz < 1.0

Abstract

Measuring the evolution in the clustering of galaxies over a large redshift range is a challenging problem. We have developed a new technique that uses photometric redshifts to measure the angular correlation function in redshift shells. This novel approach minimizes the galaxy projection effect inherent in standard angular-correlation measurements, and allows for a measurement of the evolution in the galaxy correlation strength with redshift. In this paper, we present new results that utilize more accurate photometric redshifts, derived from a multiband data set (U, B, R, and I) covering almost 200 arcmin2 to BAB ~ 26.5 mag, to quantify the evolution in the clustering of galaxies for z < 1. We also extend our technique to incorporate absolute magnitudes, which provides a simultaneous measurement of the evolution of clustering with both redshift and intrinsic luminosity. Specifically, we find a gradual decline in the strength of clustering with redshift out to z ~ 1, as predicted by semianalytic models of structure formation. Furthermore, we find that r0(z = 0) ≈ 4.0 h-1 Mpc for the predictions of linear theory in an Ω0 = 0.1 universe.