22 research outputs found
Hubble flow variations as a test for inhomogeneous cosmology
Context. Backreactions from large-scale inhomogeneities may provide an
elegant explanation for the observed accelerated expansion of the universe
without the need to introduce dark energy. Aims. We propose a cosmological test
for a specific model of inhomogeneous cosmology, called timescape cosmology.
Using large-scale galaxy surveys such as SDSS and 2MRS, we test the variation
of expansion expected in the -CDM model versus a more generic
differential expansion using our own calibrations of bounds suggested by
timescape cosmology. Method. Our test measures the systematic variations of the
Hubble flow towards distant galaxies groups as a function of the matter
distribution in the lines of sight to those galaxy groups. We compare the
observed systematic variation of the Hubble flow to mock catalogues from the
Millennium Simulation in the case of the -CDM model, and a deformed
version of the same simulation that exhibits more pronounced differential
expansion. Results. We perform a series of statistical tests, ranging from
linear regressions to Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, on the obtained data. They
consistently yield results preferring -CDM cosmology over our
approximated model of timescape cosmology. Conclusions. Our analysis of
observational data shows no evidence that the variation of expansion differs
from that of the standard -CDM model.Comment: 20 pages, 21 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Dozens of compact and high velocity-dispersion early-type galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Aims. We aim at finding candidates of potential survivors of high-redshift
compact galaxies in SDSS, as targets for more detailed follow-up observations.
Methods. From the virial theorem it is expected that for a given mass,
compact galaxies have stellar velocity dispersion higher than the mean due to
their smaller sizes. Therefore velocity dispersion coupled with size (or mass)
is an appropriate method to select relics, independent of the stellar
population properties. Based on these consideration we design a set of criteria
using distribution of early-type galaxies from SDSS on the
log(R)-log() plane to find the most extreme
objects on it.
Results. We find 76 galaxies at 0.05 < z < 0.2, which have properties similar
to the typical quiescent galaxies at high redshift. We study how well these
galaxies fit on well-known local universe relations of early-type galaxies such
as the fundamental plane, the red sequence or mass-size relations. As expected
from the selection criteria, the candidates are located in an extreme corner of
mass-size plane. However, they do not extend as deeply into the so-called zone
of exclusion as some of the high-redshift compact galaxies ('red nuggets')
found at high redshift, being a factor 2-3 less massive at a given intrinsic
scale size. Our candidates are systematically offset from scaling relations of
average early-type galaxies, while being in the mass-size range expected for
passive evolution of the red nuggets from their high redshift to the present.
Conclusions. The 76 selected candidates form a well suited set of objects for
further follow-up observations. We argue that selecting a high velocity
dispersion is the best way to find analogues of compact high redshift galaxies
in the local universe.Comment: 37 pages, 24 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The matter distribution in the local Universe as derived from galaxy groups in SDSS DR12 and 2MRS
Context. Friends-of-friends algorithms are a common tool to detect galaxy
groups and clusters in large survey data. In order to be as precise as
possible, they have to be carefully calibrated using mock catalogues.
Aims. We create an accurate and robust description of the matter distribution
in the local Universe using the most up-to-date available data. This will
provide the input for a specific cosmological test planned as follow-up to this
work, and will be useful for general extragalactic and cosmological research.
Methods. We created a set of galaxy group catalogues based on the 2MRS and
SDSS DR12 galaxy samples using a friends-of-friends based group finder
algorithm. The algorithm was carefully calibrated and optimised on a new set of
wide-angle mock catalogues from the Millennium simulation, in order to provide
accurate total mass estimates of the galaxy groups taking into account the
relevant observational biases in 2MRS and SDSS.
Results. We provide four different catalogues (i) a 2MRS based group
catalogue; (ii) an SDSS DR12 based group catalogue reaching out to a redshift z
= 0.11 with stellar mass estimates for 70% of the galaxies; (iii) a catalogue
providing additional fundamental plane distances for all groups of the SDSS
catalogue that host elliptical galaxies; (iv) a catalogue of the mass
distribution in the local Universe based on a combination of our 2MRS and SDSS
catalogues.
Conclusions. While motivated by a specific cosmological test, three of the
four catalogues that we produced are well suited to act as reference databases
for a variety of extragalactic and cosmological science cases. Our catalogue of
fundamental plane distances for SDSS groups provides further added value to
this paper.Comment: 31 pages, 25 figures, accepted for publication in A&
PROVABGS: The Probabilistic Stellar Mass Function of the BGS One-percent Survey
We present the probabilistic stellar mass function (pSMF) of galaxies in the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS), observed during the One-percent Survey. The One-percent Survey was one of DESI’s survey validation programs conducted from 2021 April to May, before the start of the main survey. It used the same target selection and similar observing strategy as the main survey and successfully observed the spectra and redshifts of 143,017 galaxies in the r 100 × more galaxies. Moreover, we present the statistical framework for subsequent population statistics measurements using BGS, which will characterize the global galaxy population and scaling relations at low redshifts with unprecedented precision
PROVABGS: The Probabilistic Stellar Mass Function of the BGS One-Percent Survey
We present the probabilistic stellar mass function (pSMF) of galaxies in the
DESI Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS), observed during the One-Percent Survey. The
One-Percent Survey was one of DESI's survey validation programs conducted from
April to May 2021, before the start of the main survey. It used the same target
selection and similar observing strategy as the main survey and successfully
observed the spectra and redshifts of 143,017 galaxies in the
magnitude-limited BGS Bright sample and 95,499 galaxies in the fainter surface
brightness and color selected BGS Faint sample over . We derive pSMFs
from posteriors of stellar mass, , inferred from DESI photometry and
spectroscopy using the Hahn et al. (2022a; arXiv:2202.01809) PRObabilistic
Value-Added BGS (PROVABGS) Bayesian SED modeling framework. We use a
hierarchical population inference framework that statistically and rigorously
propagates the uncertainties. Furthermore, we include correction weights
that account for the selection effects and incompleteness of the BGS
observations. We present the redshift evolution of the pSMF in BGS as well as
the pSMFs of star-forming and quiescent galaxies classified using average
specific star formation rates from PROVABGS. Overall, the pSMFs show good
agreement with previous stellar mass function measurements in the literature.
Our pSMFs showcase the potential and statistical power of BGS, which in its
main survey will observe >100 more galaxies. Moreover, we present the
statistical framework for subsequent population statistics measurements using
BGS, which will characterize the global galaxy population and scaling relations
at low redshifts with unprecedented precision.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures; data used to generate figures is available at
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8018936; submitted to Ap
Validation of semi-analytical, semi-empirical covariance matrices for two-point correlation function for Early DESI data
We present an extended validation of semi-analytical, semi-empirical
covariance matrices for the two-point correlation function (2PCF) on simulated
catalogs representative of Luminous Red Galaxies (LRG) data collected during
the initial two months of operations of the Stage-IV ground-based Dark Energy
Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We run the pipeline on multiple extended
Zel'dovich (EZ) mock galaxy catalogs with the corresponding cuts applied and
compare the results with the mock sample covariance to assess the accuracy and
its fluctuations. We propose an extension of the previously developed formalism
for catalogs processed with standard reconstruction algorithms. We consider
methods for comparing covariance matrices in detail, highlighting their
interpretation and statistical properties caused by sample variance, in
particular, nontrivial expectation values of certain metrics even when the
external covariance estimate is perfect. With improved mocks and validation
techniques, we confirm a good agreement between our predictions and sample
covariance. This allows one to generate covariance matrices for comparable
datasets without the need to create numerous mock galaxy catalogs with matching
clustering, only requiring 2PCF measurements from the data itself. The code
used in this paper is publicly available at
https://github.com/oliverphilcox/RascalC.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure. Code available at
https://github.com/oliverphilcox/RascalC, table and figure data available at
https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.775063
The DESI Bright Galaxy Survey: Final Target Selection, Design, and Validation
Over the next 5 yr, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) will use 10 spectrographs with 5000 fibers on the 4 m Mayall Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory to conduct the first Stage IV dark energy galaxy survey. At z 10 million galaxies spanning 14,000 deg2 . In this work, we present and validate the final BGS target selection and survey design. From the Legacy Surveys, BGS will target an r 80% fiber assignment efficiency. Finally, BGS Bright and BGS Faint will achieve >95% redshift success over any observing condition. BGS meets the requirements for an extensive range of scientific applications. BGS will yield the most precise baryon acoustic oscillation and redshift-space distortion measurements at z < 0.4. It presents opportunities for new methods that require highly complete and dense samples (e.g., N-point statistics, multitracers). BGS further provides a powerful tool to study galaxy populations and the relations between galaxies and dark matter