Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Galaxies Research Articles

Analysis of BOSS galaxy data with weighted skew-spectra

We present the first application of the weighted skew-spectra to analyze non-Gaussian information in galaxy survey data. Using the tree-level galaxy skew-spectra together with the one-loop power spectrum multipoles, we analyze the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxy clustering data, and target our search towards the equilateral bispectrum shape of primordial non-Gaussianity. We use the Effective Field Theory model for the galaxy power spectrum and bispectrum, and account for systematic effects, such as the survey geometry. From our likelihood analysis, we find f NL equil = -34+296 -334 at 68% CL, consistent with previous works, while systematic errors from our treatment of the survey geometry lead to an unreliable estimation of f NL ortho. We further constrain the bias and counterterm parameters, while keeping the cosmology fixed to Planck 2018 values. As a check, we also validate our analysis pipeline using the Nseries simulation suite.

Small-scale clustering of BOSS galaxies: dependence on luminosity, colour, age, stellar mass, specific star formation rate, and other properties

ABSTRACT We measure and analyse galaxy clustering and the dependence on luminosity, colour, age, stellar mass, and specific star formation rate using Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxies at 0.48 < z < 0.62. We fit the monopole and quadrupole moments of the two-point correlation function and its projection on scales of 0.1–60.2 h−1 Mpc, after having split the catalogue in a variety of ways. We find that the clustering dependence is consistent with previous well-established results showing the broad trends expected: For example, that brighter, redder, older, more massive and quenched galaxies are more strongly clustered. We also investigate the dependence on additional parameters previously derived from stellar population synthesis model fits to the spectra. We find that galaxy clustering depends on look-back formation time at a low level, while it has little dependence on metallicity. To understand the physics behind these trends, we fit the clustering with a simulation-based emulator to simultaneously model cosmology and galaxy bias using a halo occupation distribution framework. After marginalizing parameters determining the background cosmology, galaxy bias, and a scaling parameter to decouple halo velocity field, we find that the growth rate of large-scale structure as determined by the redshift space distortions is consistent with previous analysis using the full sample, and we do not find evidence that cosmological constraints depend systematically on galaxy selection. This demonstrates that cosmological inference using small-scale clustering measurements is robust to changes in the catalogue selection.

Artificial neural networks for galaxy clustering: Learning from the two-point correlation function of BOSS galaxies

The increasingly large amount of cosmological data coming from ground-based and space-borne telescopes requires highly efficient and fast enough data analysis techniques to maximise the scientific exploitation. In this work, we explore the capabilities of supervised machine learning algorithms to learn the properties of the large-scale structure of the Universe, aiming at constraining the matter density parameter, Ωm. We implement a new Artificial Neural Network for a regression data analysis, and train it on a large set of galaxy two-point correlation functions in standard cosmologies with different values of Ωm. The training set is constructed from log-normal mock catalogues which reproduce the clustering of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxies. The presented statistical method requires no specific analytical model to construct the likelihood function, and runs with negligible computational cost, after training. We test this new Artificial Neural Network on real BOSS data, finding Ωm=0.309±0.008, which is consistent with standard analysis results.

Constraints on Single-Field Inflation from the BOSS Galaxy Survey.

Nonlocal primordial non-Gaussianity (NLPNG) is a smoking gun of interactions in single-field inflationary models and can be written as a combination of the equilateral and orthogonal templates. We present the first constraints on these from the redshift-space galaxy power spectra and bispectra of the BOSS data. These are the first such measurements independent of the cosmic microwave background fluctuations. We perform a consistent analysis that includes all necessary nonlinear corrections generated by NLPNG and vary all relevant cosmological and nuisance parameters in a global fit to the data. Our conservative analysis yields joint limits on the amplitudes of the equilateral and orthogonal shapes, f_{NL}^{equil}=940±600 and f_{NL}^{ortho}=-170±170 (both at 68%CL). These can be used to derive constraints on coefficients of the effective single-field inflationary Lagrangian; in particular, we find that the sound speed of inflaton fluctuations has the bound c_{s}≥0.013 at 95%CL. Fixing the quadratic galaxy bias and cosmological parameters, the constraints can be tightened to f_{NL}^{equil}=260±300 and f_{NL}^{ortho}=-23±120 (68%CL).

The completed SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: a catalogue of strong galaxy–galaxy lens candidates

ABSTRACT We spectroscopically detected 838 likely, 448 probable, and 265 possible strong lens candidates within ≈2 million galaxy spectra contained within the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) from the sixteenth data release (DR16) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We apply the spectroscopic detection method of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Emission-Line Lens Survey (BELLS) and add Gaussian fit information, grading, additional inspection observables, and additional inspection methods to improve our selection method. We observed 477 candidates with lensing evidence within low-resolution images from both the Legacy survey of SDSS-I/II and the DESI Legacy survey, which is $12{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ higher than the percentage of BELLS candidates observed with similar lensing evidence. Our search within the latest and improved reductions of the BOSS survey yielded a $20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ increase in the number of lens candidates expected from searching all BOSS and eBOSS galaxies. The distribution of target and background redshifts of our candidates is similar to the candidates and confirmed lenses within the BELLS observations. We present our Spectroscopic Identification of Lensing Object candidates in a value-added catalogue in SDSS DR16. The examination of these lens candidates in follow-up high-resolution imaging may yield more than twice the lenses found in previous spectroscopic detection surveys within SDSS, which would extend the results of previous lens surveys within SDSS to higher redshifts, constrain models of mass structures in spiral galaxies, and test if including the identification of possible lensing features within low-resolution images has merit to spectroscopic detection programmes.

KiDS-1000 methodology: Modelling and inference for joint weak gravitational lensing and spectroscopic galaxy clustering analysis

We present the methodology for a joint cosmological analysis of weak gravitational lensing from the fourth data release of the ESO Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-1000) and galaxy clustering from the partially overlapping Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) and the 2-degree Field Lensing Survey (2dFLenS). Cross-correlations between BOSS and 2dFLenS galaxy positions and source galaxy ellipticities have been incorporated into the analysis, necessitating the development of a hybrid model of non-linear scales that blends perturbative and non-perturbative approaches, and an assessment of signal contributions by astrophysical effects. All weak lensing signals were measured consistently via Fourier-space statistics that are insensitive to the survey mask and display low levels of mode mixing. The calibration of photometric redshift distributions and multiplicative gravitational shear bias has been updated, and a more complete tally of residual calibration uncertainties was propagated into the likelihood. A dedicated suite of more than 20 000 mocks was used to assess the performance of covariance models and to quantify the impact of survey geometry and spatial variations of survey depth on signals and their errors. The sampling distributions for the likelihood and the χ2 goodness-of-fit statistic have been validated, with proposed changes for calculating the effective number of degrees of freedom. The prior volume was explicitly mapped, and a more conservative, wide top-hat prior on the key structure growth parameter S8 = σ8 (Ωm/0.3)1/2 was introduced. The prevalent custom of reporting S8 weak lensing constraints via point estimates derived from its marginal posterior is highlighted to be easily misinterpreted as yielding systematically low values of S8, and an alternative estimator and associated credible interval are proposed. Known systematic effects pertaining to weak lensing modelling and inference are shown to bias S8 by no more than 0.1 standard deviations, with the caveat that no conclusive validation data exist for models of intrinsic galaxy alignments. Compared to the previous KiDS analyses, S8 constraints are expected to improve by 20% for weak lensing alone and by 29% for the joint analysis.

Cosmology from large-scale structure

We reanalyse the anisotropic galaxy clustering measurement from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), demonstrating that using the full shape information provides cosmological constraints that are comparable to other low-redshift probes. We find Ωm = 0.317+0.015−0.019, σ8 = 0.710±0.049, and h = 0.704 ± 0.024 for flat ΛCDM cosmologies using uninformative priors on Ωch2, 100θMC, ln1010As, and ns, and a prior on Ωbh2 that is much wider than current constraints. We quantify the agreement between the Planck 2018 constraints from the cosmic microwave background and BOSS, finding the two data sets to be consistent within a flat ΛCDM cosmology using the Bayes factor as well as the prior-insensitive suspiciousness statistic. Combining two low-redshift probes, we jointly analyse the clustering of BOSS galaxies with weak lensing measurements from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KV450). The combination of BOSS and KV450 improves the measurement by up to 45%, constraining σ8 = 0.702 ± 0.029 and S8 = σ8 Ωm/0.3 = 0.728 ± 0.026. Over the full 5D parameter space, the odds in favour of a single cosmology describing galaxy clustering, lensing, and the cosmic microwave background are 7 ± 2. The suspiciousness statistic signals a 2.1 ± 0.3σ tension between the combined low-redshift probes and measurements from the cosmic microwave background.

The Angular Fractal Dimension in Galaxy’s Distributions

The study of large scale structure (LSS) of the Universe has entered a precision era due to all-sky surveys and numerical simulations. The new data has provided a way to bring new methods to bear to analyze the cosmology as probed by large scale structure. We use wavelet packets to investigate fractal point-processes on galactic scales. In particular, we develop a method to calculate the angular fractal dimension of galaxy distributions as a function of cosmological comoving distance. Taking advantage of the self-similarity and localization properties of discrete wavelets, we compute the angular fractal dimension of galaxies in narrow redshift bins. The narrow bins assure that dynamical evolution in the range being studied has not occurred to a significant extent. We use both real and simulated data from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) and the Mock Galaxy Catalogs produced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Using the wavelet packet power spectrum, we find areas in the galaxy distribution which have power law like behavior indicating fractal processes are present. The exponent of the power law is the Hurst exponent H, which is directly related to the fractal dimension of spatial point processes. We find the fractal dimension ranges from D = 1.1 to D = 1.4 for BOSS Galaxies while it ranges from D = 1.4 to D = 1.8 for Mock Galaxy Catalogs. The results are mildly dependent on the number of galaxies present in each redshift bin and less so on the resolution at which the data is binned. We conclude that this method can be used to characterize large scale structure and its evolution as a function of redshift. There are hints that the galaxy distribution may be fractal at higher redshifts than previously reported, however more data is necessary before a firmer conclusion is reached.

The clustering of galaxies in the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: evolution of higher-order correlations demonstrated with Minkowski functionals

We probe the higher-order galaxy clustering in the final data release (DR12) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) using germ-grain Minkowski Functionals (MFs). Our data selection contains $979,430$ BOSS galaxies from both the northern and southern galactic caps over the redshift range $z=0.2 - 0.6$. We extract the higher-order part of the MFs, detecting the deviation from the purely Gaussian case with $\chi^2 \sim \mathcal{O}(10^3)$ on 24 degrees of freedom across the entire data selection. We measure significant redshift evolution in the higher-order functionals for the first time. We find $15-35\%$ growth, depending on functional and scale, between our redshift bins centered at $z=0.325$ and $z=0.525$. We show that the structure in higher order correlations grow faster than that in the two-point correlations, especially on small scales where the excess approaches a factor of $2$. We demonstrate how this trend is generalizable by finding good agreement of the data with a hierarchical model in which the higher orders grow faster than the lower order correlations. We find that the non-Gaussianity of the underlying dark matter field grows even faster than the one of the galaxies due to decreasing clustering bias. Our method can be adapted to study the redshift evolution of the three-point and higher functions individually.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: calibration of redMaGiC redshift distributions in DES and SDSS from cross-correlations

We present calibrations of the redshift distributions of redMaGiC galaxies in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR8 data. These results determine the priors of the redshift distribution of redMaGiC galaxies, which were used for galaxy clustering measurements and as lenses for galaxy-galaxy lensing measurements in DES Y1 cosmological analyses. We empirically determine the bias in redMaGiC photometric redshift estimates using angular cross-correlations with Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxies. For DES, we calibrate a single parameter redshift bias in three photometric redshift bins: $z \in[0.15,0.3]$, [0.3,0.45], and [0.45,0.6]. Our best fit results in each bin give photometric redshift biases of $|\Delta z|<0.01$. To further test the redMaGiC algorithm, we apply our calibration procedure to SDSS redMaGiC galaxies, where the statistical precision of the cross-correlation measurement is much higher due to a greater overlap with BOSS galaxies. For SDSS, we also find best fit results of $|\Delta z|<0.01$. We compare our results to other analyses of redMaGiC photometric redshifts.

Measurement of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect with Planck and BOSS data

We present a new measurement of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (kSZ) using Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data. Using the `LowZ North/South' galaxy catalogue from BOSS DR12, and the group catalogue from BOSS DR13, we evaluate the mean pairwise kSZ temperature associated with BOSS galaxies. We construct a `Central Galaxies Catalogue' (CGC) which consists of isolated galaxies from the original BOSS data set, and apply the aperture photometry (AP) filter to suppress the primary CMB contribution. By constructing a halo model to fit the pairwise kSZ function, we constrain the mean optical depth to be $\bar{\tau}=(0.53\pm0.32)\times10^{-4}(1.65\,\sigma)$ for `LowZ North CGC', $\bar{\tau}=(0.30\pm0.57)\times10^{-4}(0.53\,\sigma)$ for `LowZ South CGC', and $\bar{\tau}=(0.43\pm0.28)\times10^{-4}(1.53\,\sigma)$ for `DR13 Group'. In addition, we vary the radius of the AP filter and find that the AP size of $7\,{\rm arcmin}$ gives the maximum detection for $\bar{\tau}$. We also investigate the dependence of the signal with halo mass and find $\bar{\tau}=(0.32\pm0.36)\times10^{-4}(0.8\,\sigma)$ and $\bar{\tau}=(0.67\pm0.46)\times10^{-4}(1.4\,\sigma)$ for `DR13 Group' with halo mass restricted to, respectively, less and greater than its median halo mass, $10^{12}\, h^{-1}{\rm M}_{\odot}$. For the `LowZ North CGC' sample restricted to $M_{\rm h} \gtrsim 10^{14}\, h^{-1}{\rm M}_\odot$ there is no detection of the kSZ signal because these high mass halos are associated with the high-redshift galaxies of the LowZ North catalogue, which have limited contribution to the pairwise kSZ signals.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: on the measurement of growth rate using galaxy correlation functions

We present a measurement of the linear growth rate of structure, \textit{f} from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS III) Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 12 (DR12) using Convolution Lagrangian Perturbation Theory (CLPT) with Gaussian Streaming Redshift-Space Distortions (GSRSD) to model the two point statistics of BOSS galaxies in DR12. The BOSS-DR12 dataset includes 1,198,006 massive galaxies spread over the redshift range $0.2 < z < 0.75$. These galaxy samples are categorized in three redshift bins. Using CLPT-GSRSD in our analysis of the combined sample of the three redshift bins, we report measurements of $f \sigma_8$ for the three redshift bins. We find $f \sigma_8 = 0.430 \pm 0.054$ at $z_{\rm eff} = 0.38$, $f \sigma_8 = 0.452 \pm 0.057$ at $z_{\rm eff} = 0.51$ and $f \sigma_8 = 0.457 \pm 0.052$ at $z_{\rm eff} = 0.61$. Our results are consistent with the predictions of Planck $\Lambda$CDM-GR. Our constraints on the growth rates of structure in the Universe at different redshifts serve as a useful probe, which can help distinguish between a model of the Universe based on dark energy and models based on modified theories of gravity. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering dataset from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. 2016 to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: towards a computationally efficient analysis without informative priors

We develop a new computationally efficient methodology called double-probe analysis with the aim of minimizing informative priors (those coming from extra probes) in the estimation of cosmological parameters. Using our new methodology, we extract the dark energy model-independent cosmological constraints from the joint data sets of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxy sample and Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements. We measure the mean values and covariance matrix of {R, l(a), Omega(b)h(2), n(s), log(A(s)), Omega(k), H(z), D-A(z), f(z)sigma(8)(z)}, which give an efficient summary of the Planck data and two- point statistics from the BOSS galaxy sample. The CMB shift parameters are R = root Omega H-m(0)2 r(z(*)) and l(a) = pi r(z(*))/r(s)(z(*)), where z(*) is the redshift at the last scattering surface, and r(z(*)) and rs(z(*)) denote our comoving distance to the z(*) and sound horizon at z(*), respectively;Omega(b) is the baryon fraction at z=0. This approximate methodology guarantees that we will not need to put informative priors on the cosmological parameters that galaxy clustering is unable to constrain, i.e. Omega(b)h(2) and ns. The main advantage is that the computational time required for extracting these parameters is decreased by a factor of 60 with respect to exact full-likelihood analyses. The results obtained show no tension with the flat Lambda cold dark matter (Lambda CDM) cosmological paradigm. By comparing with the full-likelihood exact analysis with fixed dark energy models, on one hand we demonstrate that the double-probe method provides robust cosmological parameter constraints that can be conveniently used to study dark energy models, and on the other hand we provide a reliable set of measurements assuming dark energy models to be used, for example, in distance estimations. We extend our study to measure the sum of the neutrino mass using different methodologies, including double-probe analysis (introduced in this study), full-likelihood analysis and single-probe analysis. From full-likelihood analysis, we obtain Sigma m(v) < 0.12 ( 68 per cent), assuming Lambda CDM and Sigma m(v) < 0.20 ( 68 per cent) assuming owCDM. We also find that there is degeneracy between observational systematics and neutrino masses, which suggests that one should take great care when estimating these parameters in the case of not having control over the systematics of a given sample.

The clustering of galaxies in the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: higher order correlations revealed by germ–grain Minkowski functionals

We probe the higher-order clustering of the galaxies in the final data release (DR12) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) using the method of germ-grain Minkowski Functionals (MFs). Our sample consists of 410,615 BOSS galaxies from the northern Galactic cap in the redshift range 0.450--0.595. We show the MFs to be sensitive to contributions up to the six-point correlation function for this data set. We ensure with a custom angular mask that the results are more independent of boundary effects than in previous analyses of this type. We extract the higher-order part of the MFs and quantify the difference to the case without higher-order correlations. The resulting $\chi^{2}$ value of over 10,000 for a modest number of degrees of freedom, O(200), indicates a 100-sigma deviation and demonstrates that we have a highly significant signal of the non-Gaussian contributions to the galaxy distribution. This statistical power can be useful in testing models with differing higher-order correlations. Comparing the galaxy data to the QPM and MultiDark-Patchy mocks, we find that the latter better describes the observed structure. From an order-by-order decomposition we expect that, for example, already a reduction of the amplitude of the MD-Patchy mock power spectrum by 5% would remove the remaining tension.

Testing cosmology with a catalogue of voids in the BOSS galaxy surveys

We present a public catalogue of voids in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 11 LOWZ and CMASS galaxy surveys. This catalogue contains information on the location, sizes, densities, shapes and bounding surfaces of 8956 independent, disjoint voids, making it the largest public void catalogue to date. Voids are identified using a version of the ZOBOV algorithm, the operation of which has been calibrated through tests on mock galaxy populations in N-body simulations, as well as on a suite of 4096 mock catalogues which fully reproduce the galaxy clustering, survey masks and selection functions. Based on this, we estimate a false positive detection rate of 3%. Comparison with mock catalogues limits deviations of the void size distribution from that predicted in the $\Lambda$CDM model to be less than 6% for voids with effective radius $8<R_v<60\,h^{-1}$Mpc and in the redshift range $0.15<z<0.7$. This could tightly constrain modified gravity scenarios and models with a varying equation of state, but we identify systematic biases which must be accounted for to reduce the theoretical uncertainty in the predictions for these models to the current level of precision attained from the data. We also examine the distribution of void densities and identify a deficit of the deepest voids relative to $\Lambda$CDM expectations, which is significant at more than the $3\sigma$ equivalent level. We discuss possible explanations for this discrepancy but at present its cause remains unknown.

Position-dependent correlation function from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 10 CMASS sample

We report on the first measurement of the three-point function with the position-dependent correlation function from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 10 CMASS sample. This new observable measures the correlation between two-point functions of galaxy pairs within different subvolumes, ξ̂(ř,řL), where řL is the location of a subvolume, and the corresponding mean overdensities, δ̄(řL). This correlation, which we call the “integrated three-point function”, iζ(r)≡⟨ξ̂(ř,řL)δ̄(řL)⟩, measures a three-point function of two short- and one long-wavelength modes, and is generated by nonlinear gravitational evolution and possibly also by the physics of inflation. The iζ(r) measured from the BOSS data lies within the scatter of those from the mock galaxy catalogs in redshift space, yielding a ten-percent-level determination of the amplitude of iζ(r). The tree-level perturbation theory in redshift space predicts how this amplitude depends on the linear and quadratic nonlinear galaxy bias parameters (b1 and b2), as well as on the amplitude and linear growth rate of matter fluctuations (σ8 and f). Combining iζ(r) with the constraints on b1σ8 and fσ8 from the global two-point correlation function and that on σ8 from the weak lensing signal of BOSS galaxies, we measure b2=0.41±0.41 (68% C.L.) assuming standard perturbation theory at the tree level and the local bias model.

The power spectrum and bispectrum of SDSS DR11 BOSS galaxies – I. Bias and gravity

We analyse the anisotropic clustering of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS Data Release 11 sample, which consists of $690 827$ galaxies in the redshift range $0.43 < z < 0.70$ and has a sky coverage of $8 498$ deg$^2$ corresponding to an effective volume of $\sim6\,\rm{Gpc}^3$. We fit the Fourier space statistics, the power spectrum and bispectrum monopoles to measure the linear and quadratic bias parameters, $b_1$ and $b_2$, for a non-linear non-local bias model, the growth of structure parameter $f$ and the amplitude of dark matter density fluctuations parametrised by $\sigma_8$. We obtain $b_1(z_{\rm eff})^{1.40}\sigma_8(z_{\rm eff})=1.672\pm 0.060$ and $b_2^{0.30}(z_{\rm eff})\sigma_8(z_{\rm eff})=0.579\pm0.082$ at the effective redshift of the survey, $z_{\rm eff}=0.57$. The main cosmological result is the constraint on the combination $f^{0.43}(z_{\rm eff})\sigma_8(z_{\rm eff})=0.582\pm0.084$, which is complementary to $f\sigma_8$ constraints obtained from 2-point redshift space distortion analyses. A less conservative analysis yields $f^{0.43}(z_{\rm eff})\sigma_8(z_{\rm eff})=0.584\pm0.051$. We ensure that our result is robust by performing detailed systematic tests using a large suite of survey galaxy mock catalogs and N-body simulations. The constraints on $f^{0.43}\sigma_8$ are useful for setting additional constrains on neutrino mass, gravity, curvature as well as the number of neutrino species from galaxy surveys analyses (as presented in a companion paper).

Comparison of some properties of star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei between two BOSS galaxy samples from SDSS DR9

Using the LOWZ and CMASS samples of the ninth data release (DR9) from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), I investigate properties of star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The CMASS sample seriously suffers from the radial selection effect, even within the redshift 0.44 ≤ z ≤ 0.6, which will likely lead to statistical conclusions in the CMASS sample being less robust. In the LOWZ sample, the fraction of star-forming galaxies is nearly constant from the least dense regime to the densest regime; the AGN fraction is also insensitive to the local environment. In addition, I note that in the LOWZ sample, the distributions of stellar mass and stellar velocity dispersion for star forming galaxies and AGNs are nearly the same.

Environmental dependence of stellar mass for SDSS-III/BOSS galaxies

Using the LOWZ (0.15 ≤ z ≤ 0.43) and CMASS (0.43 ≤ z ≤ 0.7) galaxy samples of the ninth data release from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), we investigate the environmental dependence of stellar mass of BOSS galaxies, and conclude that like the luminous red galaxy sample of the SDSS, the environmental dependence of stellar mass of BOSS galaxies is fairly weak. Results of this work also show that the CMASS sample with the redshift 0.43 ≤ z ≤ 0.7 used by many authors seriously suffers from the radial selection effect.

The clustering of galaxies at z ≈ 0.5 in the SDSS-III Data Release 9 BOSS-CMASS sample: a test for the ΛCDM cosmology

We present results on the clustering of 282,068 galaxies in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) sample of massive galaxies with redshifts 0.4<z<0.7 which is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III project. Our results cover a large range of scales from ~0.5 to ~90 Mpc/h. We compare these estimates with the expectations of the flat LCDM cosmological model with parameters compatible with WMAP7 data. We use the MultiDark cosmological simulation together with a simple halo abundance matching technique, to estimate galaxy correlation functions, power spectra, abundance of subhaloes and galaxy biases. We find that the LCDM model gives a reasonable description to the observed correlation functions at z~0.5, which is a remarkably good agreement considering that the model, once matched to the observed abundance of BOSS galaxies, does not have any free parameters. However, we find a deviation (>~10%) in the correlation functions for scales less than ~1 Mpc/h and ~10-40 Mpc/h. A more realistic abundance matching model and better statistics from upcoming observations are needed to clarify the situation. We also estimate that about 12% of the "galaxies" in the abundance-matched sample are satellites inhabiting central haloes with mass M>~1e14 M_sun/h. Using the MultiDark simulation we also study the real space halo bias b(r) of the matched catalogue finding that b=2.00+/-0.07 at large scales, consistent with the one obtained using the measured BOSS projected correlation function. Furthermore, the linear large-scale bias depends on the number density n of the abundance-matched sample as b=-0.048-(0.594+/-0.02)*log(n/(h/Mpc)^3). Extrapolating these results to BAO scales we measure a scale-dependent damping of the acoustic signal produced by non-linear evolution that leads to ~2-4% dips at ~3 sigma level for wavenumbers k>~0.1 h/Mpc in the linear large-scale bias.