Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9

Christoph Saulder; Yong Seon Song; Minji Oh; Yi Zheng; Ashley J. Ross; Rongpu Zhou; Jeffrey A. Newman; Chia Hsun Chuang; Jessica Nicole Aguilar; Steven Ahlen; Robert Blum; David Brooks; Todd Claybaugh; Axel De La Macorra; Biprateep Dey; Zhejie Ding; Peter Doel; Jaime E. Forero-Romero; Enrique Gaztañaga; Satya Gontcho A Gontcho; Gaston Gutierrez; Stephanie Juneau; David Kirkby; Theodore Kisner; Anthony Kremin; Andrew Lambert; Martin Landriau; Laurent Le Guillou; Michael Levi; Aaron Meisner; Eva Maria Mueller; Andrea Muñoz-Gutiérrez; Gustavo Niz; Francisco Prada; Mehdi Rezaie; Graziano Rossi; Eusebio Sanchez; Michael Schubnell; Joseph Harry Silber; David Sprayberry; Gregory Tarlé; Francisco Valdes; Benjamin Alan Weaver; Hu Zou

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452007

Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9

Christoph Saulder, Yong Seon Song^*, Minji Oh, Yi Zheng, Ashley J. Ross, Rongpu Zhou, Jeffrey A. Newman, Chia Hsun Chuang, Jessica Nicole Aguilar, Steven Ahlen, Robert Blum, David Brooks, Todd Claybaugh, Axel De La Macorra, Biprateep Dey, Zhejie Ding, Peter Doel, Jaime E. Forero-Romero, Enrique Gaztañaga, Satya Gontcho A GontchoGaston Gutierrez, Stephanie Juneau, David Kirkby, Theodore Kisner, Anthony Kremin, Andrew Lambert, Martin Landriau, Laurent Le Guillou, Michael Levi, Aaron Meisner, Eva Maria Mueller, Andrea Muñoz-Gutiérrez, Gustavo Niz, Francisco Prada, Mehdi Rezaie, Graziano Rossi, Eusebio Sanchez, Michael Schubnell, Joseph Harry Silber, David Sprayberry, Gregory Tarlé, Francisco Valdes, Benjamin Alan Weaver, Hu Zou

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Context - The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey DR9 (DR9 hereafter), with its extensive dataset of galaxy locations and photometric redshifts, presents an opportunity to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the region covered by the ongoing spectroscopic survey with DESI.

Aims - We aim to investigate differences between different parts of the DR9 footprint. Furthermore, we want to measure the BAO scale for luminous red galaxies within them. Our selected redshift range of 0.6-0.8 corresponds to the bin in which a tension between DESI Y1 and eBOSS was found.

Methods - We calculated the anisotropic two-point correlation function in a modified binning scheme to detect the BAOs in DR9 data. We then used template fits based on simulations to measure the BAO scale in the imaging data.

Results - Our analysis reveals the expected correlation function shape in most of the footprint areas, showing a BAO scale consistent with Planck's observations. Aside from identified mask-related data issues in the southern region of the South Galactic Cap, we find a notable variance between the different footprints.

Conclusions - We find that this variance is consistent with the difference between the DESI Y1 and eBOSS data, and it supports the argument that that tension is caused by sample variance. Additionally, we also uncovered systematic biases not previously accounted for in photometric BAO studies. We emphasize the necessity of adjusting for the systematic shift in the BAO scale associated with typical photometric redshift uncertainties to ensure accurate measurements.

Original language	English
Article number	A54
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	695
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202452007
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2025

Keywords

Cosmology: observations
Dark energy
Distance scale
Large-scale structure of Universe
Techniques: photometric

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Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9Final published version, 1.89 MBLicence: CC BY

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Saulder, C., Song, Y. S., Oh, M., Zheng, Y., Ross, A. J., Zhou, R., Newman, J. A., Chuang, C. H., Aguilar, J. N., Ahlen, S., Blum, R., Brooks, D., Claybaugh, T., De La Macorra, A., Dey, B., Ding, Z., Doel, P., Forero-Romero, J. E., Gaztañaga, E., ... Zou, H. (2025). Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 695, Article A54. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202452007

@article{2eb3a04d0d8d4ee3bbcf07b07ddb4c08,

title = "Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9",

abstract = "Context - The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey DR9 (DR9 hereafter), with its extensive dataset of galaxy locations and photometric redshifts, presents an opportunity to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the region covered by the ongoing spectroscopic survey with DESI. Aims - We aim to investigate differences between different parts of the DR9 footprint. Furthermore, we want to measure the BAO scale for luminous red galaxies within them. Our selected redshift range of 0.6-0.8 corresponds to the bin in which a tension between DESI Y1 and eBOSS was found. Methods - We calculated the anisotropic two-point correlation function in a modified binning scheme to detect the BAOs in DR9 data. We then used template fits based on simulations to measure the BAO scale in the imaging data. Results - Our analysis reveals the expected correlation function shape in most of the footprint areas, showing a BAO scale consistent with Planck's observations. Aside from identified mask-related data issues in the southern region of the South Galactic Cap, we find a notable variance between the different footprints. Conclusions - We find that this variance is consistent with the difference between the DESI Y1 and eBOSS data, and it supports the argument that that tension is caused by sample variance. Additionally, we also uncovered systematic biases not previously accounted for in photometric BAO studies. We emphasize the necessity of adjusting for the systematic shift in the BAO scale associated with typical photometric redshift uncertainties to ensure accurate measurements.",

keywords = "Cosmology: observations, Dark energy, Distance scale, Large-scale structure of Universe, Techniques: photometric",

author = "Christoph Saulder and Song, {Yong Seon} and Minji Oh and Yi Zheng and Ross, {Ashley J.} and Rongpu Zhou and Newman, {Jeffrey A.} and Chuang, {Chia Hsun} and Aguilar, {Jessica Nicole} and Steven Ahlen and Robert Blum and David Brooks and Todd Claybaugh and {De La Macorra}, Axel and Biprateep Dey and Zhejie Ding and Peter Doel and Forero-Romero, {Jaime E.} and Enrique Gazta{\~n}aga and {Gontcho A Gontcho}, Satya and Gaston Gutierrez and Stephanie Juneau and David Kirkby and Theodore Kisner and Anthony Kremin and Andrew Lambert and Martin Landriau and {Le Guillou}, Laurent and Michael Levi and Aaron Meisner and Mueller, {Eva Maria} and Andrea Mu{\~n}oz-Guti{\'e}rrez and Gustavo Niz and Francisco Prada and Mehdi Rezaie and Graziano Rossi and Eusebio Sanchez and Michael Schubnell and Silber, {Joseph Harry} and David Sprayberry and Gregory Tarl{\'e} and Francisco Valdes and Weaver, {Benjamin Alan} and Hu Zou",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Authors 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/202452007",

language = "English",

volume = "695",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

Saulder, C, Song, YS, Oh, M, Zheng, Y, Ross, AJ, Zhou, R, Newman, JA, Chuang, CH, Aguilar, JN, Ahlen, S, Blum, R, Brooks, D, Claybaugh, T, De La Macorra, A, Dey, B, Ding, Z, Doel, P, Forero-Romero, JE, Gaztañaga, E, Gontcho A Gontcho, S, Gutierrez, G, Juneau, S, Kirkby, D, Kisner, T, Kremin, A, Lambert, A, Landriau, M, Le Guillou, L, Levi, M, Meisner, A, Mueller, EM, Muñoz-Gutiérrez, A, Niz, G, Prada, F, Rezaie, M, Rossi, G, Sanchez, E, Schubnell, M, Silber, JH, Sprayberry, D, Tarlé, G, Valdes, F, Weaver, BA & Zou, H 2025, 'Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9', Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 695, A54. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202452007

TY - JOUR

T1 - Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9

AU - Saulder, Christoph

AU - Song, Yong Seon

AU - Oh, Minji

AU - Zheng, Yi

AU - Ross, Ashley J.

AU - Zhou, Rongpu

AU - Newman, Jeffrey A.

AU - Chuang, Chia Hsun

AU - Aguilar, Jessica Nicole

AU - Ahlen, Steven

AU - Blum, Robert

AU - Brooks, David

AU - Claybaugh, Todd

AU - De La Macorra, Axel

AU - Dey, Biprateep

AU - Ding, Zhejie

AU - Doel, Peter

AU - Forero-Romero, Jaime E.

AU - Gaztañaga, Enrique

AU - Gontcho A Gontcho, Satya

AU - Gutierrez, Gaston

AU - Juneau, Stephanie

AU - Kirkby, David

AU - Kisner, Theodore

AU - Kremin, Anthony

AU - Lambert, Andrew

AU - Landriau, Martin

AU - Le Guillou, Laurent

AU - Levi, Michael

AU - Meisner, Aaron

AU - Mueller, Eva Maria

AU - Muñoz-Gutiérrez, Andrea

AU - Niz, Gustavo

AU - Prada, Francisco

AU - Rezaie, Mehdi

AU - Rossi, Graziano

AU - Sanchez, Eusebio

AU - Schubnell, Michael

AU - Silber, Joseph Harry

AU - Sprayberry, David

AU - Tarlé, Gregory

AU - Valdes, Francisco

AU - Weaver, Benjamin Alan

AU - Zou, Hu

PY - 2025/3/1

Y1 - 2025/3/1

N2 - Context - The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey DR9 (DR9 hereafter), with its extensive dataset of galaxy locations and photometric redshifts, presents an opportunity to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the region covered by the ongoing spectroscopic survey with DESI. Aims - We aim to investigate differences between different parts of the DR9 footprint. Furthermore, we want to measure the BAO scale for luminous red galaxies within them. Our selected redshift range of 0.6-0.8 corresponds to the bin in which a tension between DESI Y1 and eBOSS was found. Methods - We calculated the anisotropic two-point correlation function in a modified binning scheme to detect the BAOs in DR9 data. We then used template fits based on simulations to measure the BAO scale in the imaging data. Results - Our analysis reveals the expected correlation function shape in most of the footprint areas, showing a BAO scale consistent with Planck's observations. Aside from identified mask-related data issues in the southern region of the South Galactic Cap, we find a notable variance between the different footprints. Conclusions - We find that this variance is consistent with the difference between the DESI Y1 and eBOSS data, and it supports the argument that that tension is caused by sample variance. Additionally, we also uncovered systematic biases not previously accounted for in photometric BAO studies. We emphasize the necessity of adjusting for the systematic shift in the BAO scale associated with typical photometric redshift uncertainties to ensure accurate measurements.

AB - Context - The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey DR9 (DR9 hereafter), with its extensive dataset of galaxy locations and photometric redshifts, presents an opportunity to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the region covered by the ongoing spectroscopic survey with DESI. Aims - We aim to investigate differences between different parts of the DR9 footprint. Furthermore, we want to measure the BAO scale for luminous red galaxies within them. Our selected redshift range of 0.6-0.8 corresponds to the bin in which a tension between DESI Y1 and eBOSS was found. Methods - We calculated the anisotropic two-point correlation function in a modified binning scheme to detect the BAOs in DR9 data. We then used template fits based on simulations to measure the BAO scale in the imaging data. Results - Our analysis reveals the expected correlation function shape in most of the footprint areas, showing a BAO scale consistent with Planck's observations. Aside from identified mask-related data issues in the southern region of the South Galactic Cap, we find a notable variance between the different footprints. Conclusions - We find that this variance is consistent with the difference between the DESI Y1 and eBOSS data, and it supports the argument that that tension is caused by sample variance. Additionally, we also uncovered systematic biases not previously accounted for in photometric BAO studies. We emphasize the necessity of adjusting for the systematic shift in the BAO scale associated with typical photometric redshift uncertainties to ensure accurate measurements.

KW - Cosmology: observations

KW - Dark energy

KW - Distance scale

KW - Large-scale structure of Universe

KW - Techniques: photometric

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=86000604680&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/202452007

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/202452007

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:86000604680

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 695

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A54

ER -

Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9

Abstract

Keywords

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