Cross-correlation redshift calibration without spectroscopic calibration samples in DES science verification data

Galaxy cross-correlations with high-fidelity redshift samples hold the potential to precisely calibrate systematic photometric redshift uncertainties arising from the unavailability of complete and representative training and validation samples of galaxies. However, application of this technique in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is hampered by the relatively low number density, small area, and modest redshift overlap between photometric and spectroscopic samples. We propose instead using photometric catalogues with reliable photometric redshifts for photo-z calibration via cross-correlations. We verify the viability of our proposal using redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to successfully recover the redshift distribution of SDSS spectroscopic galaxies. We demonstrate how to combine photo-z with cross-correlation data to calibrate photometric redshift biases while marginalizing over possible clustering bias evolution in either the calibration or unknown photometric samples. We apply our method to DES Science Verification (DES SV) data in order to constrain the photometric redshift distribution of a galaxy sample selected for weak lensing studies, constraining the mean of the tomographic redshift distributions to a statistical uncertainty of z ∼ ±0.01. We forecast that our proposal can, in principle, control photometric redshif

Hierarchical adaptive polynomial chaos expansions

Polynomial chaos expansions (PCE) are widely used in the framework of uncertainty quantification. However, when dealing with high dimensional complex problems, challenging issues need to be faced. For instance, high-order polynomials may be required, which leads to a large polynomial basis whereas usually only a few of the basis functions are in fact significant. Taking into account the sparse structure of the model, advanced techniques such as sparse PCE (SPCE), have been recently proposed to alleviate the computational issue. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to SPCE, which allows one to exploit the model's hierarchical structure. The proposed approach is based on the adaptive enrichment of the polynomial basis using the so-called principle of heredity. As a result, one can reduce the computational burden related to a large pre-defined candidate set while obtaining higher accuracy with the same computational budget

Keck Interferometer Nuller Data Reduction and On-Sky Performance

We describe the Keck Interferometer nuller theory of operation, data reduction, and on-sky performance, particularly as it applies to the nuller exozodiacal dust key science program that was carried out between 2008 February and 2009 January. We review the nuller implementation, including the detailed phasor processing involved in implementing the null-peak mode used for science data and the sequencing used for science observing. We then describe the Level 1 reduction to convert the instrument telemetry streams to raw null leakages, and the Level 2 reduction to provide calibrated null leakages. The Level 1 reduction uses conservative, primarily linear processing, implemented consistently for science and calibrator stars. The Level 2 processing is more flexible, and uses diameters for the calibrator stars measured contemporaneously with the interferometer’s K-band cophasing system in order to provide the requisite accuracy. Using the key science data set of 462 total scans, we assess the instrument performance for sensitivity and systematic error. At 2.0 Jy we achieve a photometrically-limited null leakage uncertainty of 0.25% rms per 10 minutes of integration time in our broadband channel. From analysis of the Level 2 reductions, we estimate a systematic noise floor for bright stars of ~0.2% rms null leakage uncertainty per observing cluster in the broadband channel. A similar analysis is performed for the narrowband channels. We also provide additional information needed for science reduction, including details on the instrument beam pattern and the basic astrophysical response of the system, and references to the data reduction and modeling tools