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Journal article
The SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Quasar Target Selection for Data Release Nine
The Astrophysical journal. Supplement series, v 199(1), p3
03 May 2011
Abstract
The SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), a five-year
spectroscopic survey of 10,000 deg^2, achieved first light in late 2009. One of
the key goals of BOSS is to measure the signature of baryon acoustic
oscillations in the distribution of Ly-alpha absorption from the spectra of a
sample of ~150,000 z>2.2 quasars. Along with measuring the angular diameter
distance at z\approx2.5, BOSS will provide the first direct measurement of the
expansion rate of the Universe at z > 2. One of the biggest challenges in
achieving this goal is an efficient target selection algorithm for quasars over
2.2 < z < 3.5, where their colors overlap those of stars. During the first year
of the BOSS survey, quasar target selection methods were developed and tested
to meet the requirement of delivering at least 15 quasars deg^-2 in this
redshift range, out of 40 targets deg^-2. To achieve these surface densities,
the magnitude limit of the quasar targets was set at g <= 22.0 or r<=21.85.
While detection of the BAO signature in the Ly-alpha absorption in quasar
spectra does not require a uniform target selection, many other astrophysical
studies do. We therefore defined a uniformly-selected subsample of 20 targets
deg^-2, for which the selection efficiency is just over 50%. This "CORE"
subsample will be fixed for Years Two through Five of the survey. In this paper
we describe the evolution and implementation of the BOSS quasar target
selection algorithms during the first two years of BOSS operations. We analyze
the spectra obtained during the first year. 11,263 new z>2.2 quasars were
spectroscopically confirmed by BOSS. Our current algorithms select an average
of 15 z > 2.2 quasars deg^-2 from 40 targets deg^-2 using single-epoch SDSS
imaging. Multi-epoch optical data and data at other wavelengths can further
improve the efficiency and completeness of BOSS quasar target selection.
[Abridged]
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Details
- Title
- The SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Quasar Target Selection for Data Release Nine
- Creators
- Nicholas P Ross - Pennsylvania State UniversityAdam D Myers - University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignErin S Sheldon - Brookhaven National LaboratoryChristophe Yèche - CEA, Centre de Saclay, IRFU, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceMichael A Strauss - Princeton UniversityJo Bovy - New York UniversityJessica A Kirkpatrick - University of California, BerkeleyGordon T Richards - Drexel UniversityEric Aubourg - Délégation Paris 7Michael R Blanton - New York UniversityW. N Brandt - Pennsylvania State UniversityWilliam C Carithers - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryRupert A. C Croft - Carnegie Mellon UniversityRobert da Silva - University of California, Santa CruzKyle Dawson - University of UtahDaniel J Eisenstein - Harvard College ObservatoryJoseph F Hennawi - Max Planck SocietyShirley Ho - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDavid W Hogg - New York UniversityKhee-Gan Lee - Princeton UniversityBritt Lundgren - Yale UniversityRichard G McMahon - University of CambridgeJordi Miralda-Escude - Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis AvançatsNathalie Palanque-Delabrouille - CEA, Centre de Saclay, IRFU, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceIsabelle Paris - Institut d'Astrophysique de ParisPatrick Petitjean - Institut d'Astrophysique de ParisMatthew M Pieri - The Ohio State UniversityJames Rich - CEA, Centre de Saclay, IRFU, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceNatalie A Roe - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDavid Schiminovich - Columbia UniversityDavid J Schlegel - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDonald P Schneider - Pennsylvania State UniversityAnže Slosar - Brookhaven National LaboratoryNao Suzuki - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryJeremy L Tinker - New York UniversityDavid H Weinberg - The Ohio State UniversityAnya Weyant - University of PittsburghMartin White - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryW. Michael Wood-Vasey - University of Pittsburgh
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal. Supplement series, v 199(1), p3
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics; Pharmacology and Physiology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000301119800003
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84858991870
- Other Identifier
- 991019168550304721
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Astronomy & Astrophysics