Study Of Large-scale Structure Research Articles

Anatomical Variation of Human Bone Bioapatite Crystallography and Comparison to Hydroxyapatite

This systematic investigation of bioapatite, the mineral component of human bone, aims to characterize its crystallographic state, including lattice parameters and average crystallite size, and correlate these values with respect to anatomical position (bone function), physicality, and age. In bone sample sets from three different human adults, anatomical variation of crystallographic lattice parameters and average crystallite size were observed.In general, the observed bioapatite lattice parameters among all analyzed human bones in this study are larger compared to those of stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAP) lattice parameters. Across all analyzed samples, the relative standard deviation of the mean a(=b) cell lattice parameter (unit cell edge-length) varies more (0.032%) than it does for the c lattice parameter (0.018%). Average crystallite size (average coherent diffracting domain size) in the c-direction was equal to approximately 25 nm, ranging among the analyzed 18 bone samples from about 20-32 nm, varying more than crystallite size in the a,b-direction (~8-10 nm). Neither lattice parameters nor average bioapatite crystallite sizes appeared to be correlated with bone function and the associated mechanical stresses but may be correlated to age. The results of this study prompt the need for large-scale systematic study of human bone mineral structure with consideration of different influencing bone traits, including but not limited to anatomical position, individual physical constitution, and age.

The deep Chandra survey in the SDSS J1030+0524 field

We present the X-ray source catalog for the ∼479 ks Chandra exposure of the SDSS J1030+0524 field, which is centered on a region that shows the best evidence to date of an overdensity around a z > 6 quasar, and also includes a galaxy overdensity around a Compton-thick Fanaroff-Riley type II (FRII) radio galaxy at z = 1.7. Using wavdetect for initial source detection and ACIS Extract for source photometry and significance assessment, we create preliminary catalogs of sources that are detected in the full (0.5−7.0 keV), soft (0.5−2.0 keV), and hard (2−7 keV) bands, respectively. We produce X-ray simulations that mirror our Chandra observation to filter our preliminary catalogs and achieve a completeness level of > 91% and a reliability level of ∼95% in each band. The catalogs in the three bands are then matched into a final main catalog of 256 unique sources. Among them, 244, 193, and 208 are detected in the full, soft, and hard bands, respectively. The Chandra observation covers a total area of 335 arcmin2 and reaches flux limits over the central few square arcmins of ∼3 × 10−16, 6 × 10−17, and 2 × 10−16 erg cm−2 s−1 in the full, soft, and hard bands, respectively This makes J1030 field the fifth deepest extragalactic X-ray survey to date. The field is part of the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC), and is also covered by optical imaging data from the Large Binocular Camera (LBC) at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), near-infrared imaging data from the Canada France Hawaii Telescope WIRCam (CFHT/WIRCam), and Spitzer IRAC. Thanks to its dense multi-wavelength coverage, J1030 represents a legacy field for the study of large-scale structures around distant accreting supermassive black holes. Using a likelihood ratio analysis, we associate multi-band (r, z, J, and 4.5 μm) counterparts for 252 (98.4%) of the 256 Chandra sources, with an estimated reliability of 95%. Finally, we compute the cumulative number of sources in each X-ray band, finding that they are in general agreement with the results from the Chandra Deep Fields.

Beyond two-point statistics: using the minimum spanning tree as a tool for cosmology

ABSTRACT Cosmological studies of large-scale structure have relied on two-point statistics, not fully exploiting the rich structure of the cosmic web. In this paper we show how to capture some of this cosmic web information by using the minimum spanning tree (MST), for the first time using it to estimate cosmological parameters in simulations. Discrete tracers of dark matter such as galaxies, N-body particles or haloes are used as nodes to construct a unique graph, the MST, that traces skeletal structure. We study the dependence of the MST on cosmological parameters using haloes from a suite of COmoving Lagrangian Acceleration (COLA) simulations with a box size of $250\ h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$, varying the amplitude of scalar fluctuations (As), matter density (Ωm), and neutrino mass (∑mν). The power spectrum P and bispectrum B are measured for wavenumbers between 0.125 and 0.5 $h\, {\rm Mpc}^{-1}$, while a corresponding lower cut of ∼12.6 $h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$ is applied to the MST. The constraints from the individual methods are fairly similar but when combined we see improved 1σ constraints of $\sim 17{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ ($\sim 12{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) on Ωm and $\sim 12{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ ($\sim 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) on As with respect to P (P + B) thus showing the MST is providing additional information. The MST can be applied to current and future spectroscopic surveys (BOSS, DESI, Euclid, PSF, WFIRST, and 4MOST) in 3D and photometric surveys (DES and LSST) in tomographic shells to constrain parameters and/or test systematics.

The 2MASS Redshift Survey in the Zone of Avoidance

Abstract The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) Redshift Survey was started two decades ago with the goal of mapping the three-dimensional distribution of an all-sky flux-limited (K s < 11.75 mag) sample of ∼45,000 galaxies. Our first data release presented an unprecedented uniform coverage for most of the celestial sphere, with redshifts for ∼98% of our sample. However, we were missing redshifts for ∼18% of the catalog entries that were located within the “Zone of Avoidance” ( )—an important region of the sky for studies of the large-scale structure and cosmic flows. In this second and final data release, we present redshifts for all 1041 2MRS galaxies that previously lacked this information, as well as updated measurements for 27 others.

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.

How Are Galaxies Assigned to Halos? Searching for Assembly Bias in the SDSS Galaxy Clustering

Abstract Clustering of dark matter halos has been shown to depend on halo properties beyond mass, such as halo concentration, a phenomenon referred to as halo assembly bias. Standard halo-occupation models (HOD) in large-scale structure studies assume that halo mass alone is sufficient in characterizing the connection between galaxies and halos. Modeling of galaxy clustering can face systematic effects if the number of galaxies within a halo is correlated with other halo properties. Using the Small MultiDark-Planck high-resolution N-body simulation and the clustering measurements of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7 main galaxy sample, we investigate the extent to which the concentration dependence of halo occupation can be constrained. Furthermore, we study how allowing for the concentration dependence can improve our modeling of galaxy clustering. Our constraints on HOD with assembly bias suggest that satellite population is not correlated with halo concentration at fixed halo mass. At fixed halo mass, our constraints favor lack of correlation between the occupation of centrals and halo concentration in the most luminous samples (M r < −21.5, −21), and modest correlation in the M r < −20.5, −20, −19.5 samples. We show that, in comparison with abundance-matching mock catalogs, our findings suggest qualitatively similar but modest levels of the impact of halo assembly bias on galaxy clustering. The effect is only present in the central occupation and becomes less significant in brighter galaxy samples. Furthermore, by performing model comparison based on information criteria, we find that in most cases, the standard mass-only HOD model is still favored by the observations.

J-PLUS: On the identification of new cluster members in the double galaxy cluster A2589 and A2593 using PDFs

Aims. We aim to use multiband imaging from the Phase-3 Verification Data of the J-PLUS survey to derive accurate photometric redshifts (photo-z) and look for potential new members in the surroundings of the nearby galaxy clusters A2589 (z = 0.0414) & A2593 (z = 0.0440), using redshift probability distribution functions (PDFs). The ultimate goal is to demonstrate the usefulness of a 12-band filter system in the study of largescale structure in the local Universe. Methods. We present an optimized pipeline for the estimation of photometric redshifts in clusters of galaxies. This pipeline includes a PSF-corrected photometry, specific photometric apertures capable of enhancing the integrated signal in the bluest filters, a careful recalibration of the photometric uncertainties and accurate upper-limit estimations for faint detections. To foresee the expected precision of our photo-z beyond the spectroscopic sample, we designed a set of simulations in which real cluster galaxies are modeled and reinjected inside the images at different signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) levels, recomputing their photometry and photo-z estimates. Results. We tested our photo-z pipeline with a sample of 296 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members with an averaged magnitude of ⟨r⟩ = 16.6 and redshift ⟨z⟩ = 0.041. The combination of seven narrow and five broadband filters with a typical photometric-depth of r ~ 21.5 provides δz/(1 + z) = 0.01 photo-z estimates. A precision of δz/(1 + z) = 0.005 is obtained for the 177 galaxies brighter than magnitude r < 17. Based on simulations, a δz/(1 + z) = 0.02 and δz/(1 + z) = 0.03 is expected at magnitudes ⟨r⟩ = 18 and ⟨r⟩ = 22, respectively. Complementarily, we used SDSS/DR12 data to derive photo-z estimates for the same galaxy sample. This exercise demonstrates that the wavelength-resolution of the J-PLUS data can double the precision achieved by SDSS data for galaxies with a high S/N. Based on the Bayesian membership analysis carried out in this work, we find as much as 170 new candidates across the entire field (~5 deg2). The spatial distribution of these galaxies may suggest an overlap between the systems with no evidence of a clear filamentary structure connecting the clusters. This result is supported by X-ray Rosat All-Sky Survey observations suggesting that a hypothetical filament may have low density contrast on diffuse warm gas. Conclusions. We prove that the addition of the seven narrow-band filters make the J-PLUS data deeper in terms of photo-z-depth than other surveys of a similar photometric-depth but using only five broadbands. These preliminary results show the potential of J-PLUS data to revisit membership of groups and clusters from nearby galaxies, important for the determination of luminosity and mass functions and environmental studies at the intermediate and low-mass regime.

A zone of avoidance catalogue of 2MASS bright galaxies – I. Sample description and analysis

We present a homogeneous 2MASS bright galaxy catalogue at low Galactic latitudes ($|b| \le 10.0^{\rm o}$, called Zone of Avoidance) which is complete to a Galactic extinction-corrected magnitude of $K^o_s \le 11.25^{\rm m}$. It also includes galaxies in regions of high foreground extinctions ($E(B-V) > 0.95^{\rm m}$) situated at higher latitudes. This catalogue forms the basis of studies of large-scale structures, flow fields and extinction across the ZoA and complements the ongoing 2MASS Redshift and Tully-Fisher surveys. It comprises 3763 galaxies, 70% of which have at least one radial velocity measurement in the literature. The catalogue is complete up to star density levels of $\log N_*/{\rm deg}^2 <4.5$ and at least for $A_K < 0.6^{\rm m}$ and likely as high as $A_K = 20^{\rm m}$. Thus the ZoA in terms of bright NIR galaxies covers only $2.5-4$% of the whole sky. We use a diameter-dependent extinction correction to compare our sample with an unobscured, high-latitude sample. While the correction to the $K_s$ -band magnitude is sufficient, the corrected diameters are too small by about $4''$ on average. The omission of applying such a diameter-dependent extinction correction may lead to a biased flow field even at intermediate extinction values as found in the 2MRS survey. A slight dependence of galaxy colour with stellar density indicates that unsubtracted foreground stars make galaxies appear bluer. Furthermore, far-infrared sources in the DIRBE/IRAS extinction maps that were not removed at low latitudes affect the foreground extinction corrections of three galaxies and may weakly affect a further estimated $\approx 20$% of our galaxies.

Reconstruction of avian ancestral karyotypes reveals differences in the evolutionary history of macro- and microchromosomes

BackgroundReconstruction of ancestral karyotypes is critical for our understanding of genome evolution, allowing for the identification of the gross changes that shaped extant genomes. The identification of such changes and their time of occurrence can shed light on the biology of each species, clade and their evolutionary history. However, this is impeded by both the fragmented nature of the majority of genome assemblies and the limitations of the available software to work with them. These limitations are particularly apparent in birds, with only 10 chromosome-level assemblies reported thus far. Algorithmic approaches applied to fragmented genome assemblies can nonetheless help define patterns of chromosomal change in defined taxonomic groups.ResultsHere, we make use of the DESCHRAMBLER algorithm to perform the first large-scale study of ancestral chromosome structure and evolution in birds. This algorithm allows us to reconstruct the overall genome structure of 14 key nodes of avian evolution from the Avian ancestor to the ancestor of the Estrildidae, Thraupidae and Fringillidae families.ConclusionsAnalysis of these reconstructions provides important insights into the variability of rearrangement rates during avian evolution and allows the detection of patterns related to the chromosome distribution of evolutionary breakpoint regions. Moreover, the inclusion of microchromosomes in our reconstructions allows us to provide novel insights into the evolution of these avian chromosomes, specifically.

Star-galaxy classification in the Dark Energy Survey Y1 dataset

We perform a comparison of different approaches to star-galaxy classification using the broad-band photometric data from Year 1 of the Dark Energy Survey. This is done by performing a wide range of tests with and without external `truth' information, which can be ported to other similar datasets. We make a broad evaluation of the performance of the classifiers in two science cases with DES data that are most affected by this systematic effect: large-scale structure and Milky Way studies. In general, even though the default morphological classifiers used for DES Y1 cosmology studies are sufficient to maintain a low level of systematic contamination from stellar mis-classification, contamination can be reduced to the O(1%) level by using multi-epoch and infrared information from external datasets. For Milky Way studies the stellar sample can be augmented by ~20% for a given flux limit. Reference catalogs used in this work will be made available upon publication.

Planck intermediate results

Using the Planck full-mission data, we present a detection of the temperature (and therefore velocity) dispersion due to the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect from clusters of galaxies. To suppress the primary CMB and instrumental noise we derive a matched filter and then convolve it with the Planck foreground-cleaned “2D-ILC” maps. By using the Meta Catalogue of X-ray detected Clusters of galaxies (MCXC), we determine the normalized rms dispersion of the temperature fluctuations at the positions of clusters, finding that this shows excess variance compared with the noise expectation. We then build an unbiased statistical estimator of the signal, determining that the normalized mean temperature dispersion of 1526 clusters is 〈(ΔT/T)2 〉 = (1.64 ± 0.48) × 10−11. However, comparison with analytic calculations and simulations suggest that around 0.7 σ of this result is due to cluster lensing rather than the kSZ effect. By correcting this, the temperature dispersion is measured to be 〈(ΔT/T)2〉 = (1.35 ± 0.48) × 10−11, which gives a detection at the 2.8 σ level. We further convert uniform-weight temperature dispersion into a measurement of the line-of-sight velocity dispersion, by using estimates of the optical depth of each cluster (which introduces additional uncertainty into the estimate). We find that the velocity dispersion is 〈υ2〉 = (123 000 ± 71 000) (km s−1)2, which is consistent with findings from other large-scale structure studies, and provides direct evidence of statistical homogeneity on scales of 600 h−1 Mpc. Our study shows the promise of using cross-correlations of the kSZ effect with large-scale structure in order to constrain the growth of structure.

Passive control of coherent structures in a modified backwards-facing step flow

We study a modified backwards-facing step flow, with the addition of two different plates; one is a baseline, impermeable plate and the second a perforated one. An experimental investigation is carried out for a turbulent reattaching shear layer downstream of the two plates. The proposed setup is a model configuration to study how the plate characteristics affect the separated shear layer and how turbulent kinetic energies and large-scale coherent structures are modified. Measurements show that the perforated plate changes the mean flow field, mostly by reducing the intensity of reverse flow close to the bottom wall. Disturbance amplitudes are significantly reduced up to five step heights downstream of the trailing edge of the plate, more specifically in the recirculation region. A loudspeaker is then used to introduce phase-locked, low-amplitude perturbations upstream of the plates, and phase-averaged measurements allow a quantitative study of large-scale structures in the shear-layer. The evolution of such coherent structures is evaluated in light of linear stability theory, comparing the eigenfunction of the Kelvin–Helmholtz mode to the experimental results. We observe a close match of linear-stability eigenfunctions with phase-averaged amplitudes for the two tested Strouhal numbers. The perforated plate is found to reduce the amplitude of the Kelvin–Helmholtz coherent structures in comparison to the baseline, impermeable plate, a behavior consistent with the predicted amplification trends from linear stability.

Precision Design Modelling of HF2V Devices

High-force-to-volume (HF2V) lead-extrusion energy dissipation devices have been demonstrated to be efficient, low-cost energy dissipators for managing structural seismic response energy to mitigate damage. They have been employed in full-scale structures, as well as demonstrated in a range of large-scale experiments and numerical structural analysis studies. However, they have proven difficult to precisely design to match a specific force capacity.This study develops a precision HF2V design model based on the sum of friction and extrusion forces modelled as a function of device dimensions. Specifically, the Area Ratio (AR), shaft Surface Area (SA), and Bulge Area (AB). Multiplicative coefficients for these terms in 14 linear and linear-quadratic models are calculated using regression analysis on data from 18 experimental devices with and without bulges. Pearson correlation coefficient values (R2) summarise model completeness and the error between experimental and model predicted force. Leave k = 3 out validation for random and specific groups of devices assesses model robustness to the device data used to identify the model.Model 2 (F = α0AR. Dcyl + α1SA) and Model 4 (F = α0AR. Dcyl + α1 SA + α2AB) have the best fit explaining all but 5% of the experimentally measured device force (R2 = 0.95). Overall, Model 4 predicts device forces better for a wide range of devices. Mean model prediction errors are 11%, and attributed to differences in device pre-stress, test velocity and experimental error. On average, the terms for AR and AB, capturing device extrusion force contributions to device force, contribute 65% and 13% of the total device force, with the remaining 22% due to friction, captured by the SA term.The overall results provide a simple generalisable model capturing all relevant mechanics for precise design of HF2V devices to a specific quasi-static force capacity, as well as a good starting point for more specific and detailed mechanics models.

Visualization of vortex structures and analysis of frequency of PVC

The paper presents the results of the study of large-scale vortex structures in a model chamber. Methods of forming quasi-stationary vortices of various shapes by changing the geometric parameters of the chamber have been proposed. In the model chamber with a tangential swirl of the flow, a rectilinear vortex, single helical and double helical vortices were obtained. The double helical structure of the vortex is unique due to its immovability around the axis of the chamber. The resulting structures slowly oscillate around their own axes, which is called the vortex core precession; while the oscillation frequency depends linearly on the liquid flow rate. The use of stationary vortex structures in power plants will increase the efficiency of combustion chambers and reduce slagging.

The suite of small-angle neutron scattering instruments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is home to the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), a high-flux research reactor, and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), the world's most intense source of pulsed neutron beams. The unique co-localization of these two sources provided an opportunity to develop a suite of complementary small-angle neutron scattering instruments for studies of large-scale structures: the GP-SANS and Bio-SANS instruments at the HFIR and the EQ-SANS and TOF-USANS instruments at the SNS. This article provides an overview of the capabilities of the suite of instruments, with specific emphasis on how they complement each other. A description of the plans for future developments including greater integration of the suite into a single point of entry for neutron scattering studies of large-scale structures is also provided.

Dark matter filaments

Present work is a review of extragalactic filament detection and galaxy orientation. Filaments are considered as a part of large-scale structure of Universe since the middle of XX century. The formation of filaments and other elements of large-scale structure was described in Zeldovich theory, which became the base of further computer cosmological simulations. Simulated galaxy distributions are quite suitable for filament detection, but the observations of real galaxies appears much less appropriate for this task. Sloan Digital Sky Survey contains the best data of galaxy distribution for the studies of large-scale structures. Application of different methods of filament detection to SDSS leads to contradictory results. Even morphological analysis of Local Supercluster filaments causes a number of questions. The main complexity of filament search is their composition of mostly dark matter. X-ray images of galaxy clusters supplements optical ones and can help to determine dark matter distribution. Orientation of X-ray halo and optical galaxies in the cluster may point out to the nearest filaments. General analysis of galaxy orientations is needed for the evaluation of this effect. Our review shows models of galaxy cluster at the intersection of filaments and the thread of clusters on the filament. Details of galaxy cluster and filament connections may be revealed after new observations of large-scale structure of Universe and applications new data processing algorithms and cosmological theories of the fluctuation growth.

The Effect of Fiber Collisions on the Galaxy Power Spectrum Multipoles

Fiber-fed multi-object spectroscopic surveys, with their ability to collect an unprecedented number of redshifts, currently dominate large-scale structure studies. However, physical constraints limit these surveys from successfully collecting redshifts from galaxies too close to each other on the focal plane. This ultimately leads to significant systematic effects on galaxy clustering measurements. Using simulated mock catalogs, we demonstrate that fiber collisions have a significant impact on the power spectrum, $P(k)$, monopole and quadrupole that exceeds sample variance at scales smaller than $k\sim0.1~h/Mpc$. We present two methods to account for fiber collisions in the power spectrum. The first, statistically reconstructs the clustering of fiber collided galaxy pairs by modeling the distribution of the line-of-sight displacements between them. It also properly accounts for fiber collisions in the shot-noise correction term of the $P(k)$ estimator. Using this method, we recover the true $P(k)$ monopole of the mock catalogs with residuals of $<0.5\%$ at $k=0.3~h/Mpc$ and $<4\%$ at $k=0.83~h/Mpc$ -- a significant improvement over existing correction methods. The quadrupole, however, does not improve significantly. The second method models the effect of fiber collisions on the power spectrum as a convolution with a configuration space top-hat function that depends on the physical scale of fiber collisions. It directly computes theoretical predictions of the fiber-collided $P(k)$ multipoles and reduces the influence of smaller scales to a set of nuisance parameters. Using this method, we reliably model the effect of fiber collisions on the monopole and quadrupole down to the scale limits of theoretical predictions. The methods we present in this paper will allow us to robustly analyze galaxy power spectrum multipole measurements to much smaller scales than previously possible.

Investigation a single-spiral vortex in a swirl flow

The work is aimed at a detailed study of large-scale helical vortex structures emerging in a high turbulent intensively swirling flow. It was shown that the vortex formed in the chamber by installing diaphragm with shifted outlet is folded into a single-helical vortex. The flow visualization shows that although the vortex axis performs slow oscillations (precession), on average this structure is fixed in space. The velocity fields were measured with the aid of a nonintrusive method of flow diagnostics (PIV). Verification of the calculation results obtained using a LES simulation was performed based on measured experimental data to confirm the correctness of the chosen mathematical modelling approach. It has been asserted that the investigated regimes are in a self-similarity area relative to Reynolds number.

Can AGN and galaxy clusters explain the surface brightness fluctuations of the cosmic X-ray background?

Fluctuations of the surface brightness of cosmic X-ray background (CXB) carry unique information about faint and low luminosity source populations, which is inaccessible for conventional large-scale structure (LSS) studies based on resolved sources. We used Chandra data of the XBOOTES field ($\sim9\,\mathrm{deg^2}$) to conduct the most accurate measurement to date of the power spectrum of fluctuations of the unresolved CXB on the angular scales of $\sim3\,$arcsec $-$ $\sim17\,$arcmin. We find that at sub-arcmin angular scales, the power spectrum is consistent with the AGN shot noise, without much need for any significant contribution from their one-halo term. This is consistent with the theoretical expectation that low-luminosity AGN reside alone in their dark matter halos. However, at larger angular scales we detect a significant LSS signal above the AGN shot noise. Its power spectrum, obtained after subtracting the AGN shot noise, follows a power law with the slope of $-0.8\pm0.1$ and its amplitude is much larger than what can be plausibly explained by the two-halo term of AGN. We demonstrate that the detected LSS signal is produced by unresolved clusters and groups of galaxies. For the flux limit of the XBOOTES survey, their flux-weighted mean redshift equals $\left<z\right>\sim0.3$, and the mean temperature of their intracluster medium (ICM), $\left<T\right>\approx 1.4$ keV, corresponds to the mass of $M_{500} \sim 10^{13.5}\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$. The power spectrum of CXB fluctuations carries information about the redshift distribution of these objects and the spatial structure of their ICM on the linear scales of up to $\sim$Mpc, i.e. of the order of the virial radius.

TESTING LSST DITHER STRATEGIES FOR SURVEY UNIFORMITY AND LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE SYSTEMATICS

ABSTRACT The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will survey the southern sky from 2022–2032 with unprecedented detail. Since the observing strategy can lead to artifacts in the data, we investigate the effects of telescope-pointing offsets (called dithers) on the r-band coadded 5σ depth yielded after the 10-year survey. We analyze this survey depth for several geometric patterns of dithers (e.g., random, hexagonal lattice, spiral) with amplitudes as large as the radius of the LSST field of view, implemented on different timescales (per season, per night, per visit). Our results illustrate that per night and per visit dither assignments are more effective than per season assignments. Also, we find that some dither geometries (e.g., hexagonal lattice) are particularly sensitive to the timescale on which the dithers are implemented, while others like random dithers perform well on all timescales. We then model the propagation of depth variations to artificial fluctuations in galaxy counts, which are a systematic for LSS studies. We calculate the bias in galaxy counts caused by the observing strategy accounting for photometric calibration uncertainties, dust extinction, and magnitude cuts; uncertainties in this bias limit our ability to account for structure induced by the observing strategy. We find that after 10 years of the LSST survey, the best dither strategies lead to uncertainties in this bias that are smaller than the minimum statistical floor for a galaxy catalog as deep as r &lt; 27.5. A few of these strategies bring the uncertainties close to the statistical floor for r &lt; 25.7 after the first year of survey.