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Combining galaxy clustering information from regions of different environmental densities can help break cosmological parameter degeneracies and access non-Gaussian information from the density field that is not readily captured by the standard two-point correlation function (2PCF) analyses. However, modelling these density-dependent statistics down to the non-linear regime has so far remained challenging. We present a simulation-based model that is able to capture the cosmological dependence of the full shape of the density-split clustering (DSC) statistics down to intra-halo scales. Our models are based on neural-network emulators that are trained on high-fidelity mock galaxy catalogues within an extended-ΛCDM framework, incorporating the effects of redshift-space, Alcock–Paczynski distortions, and models of the halo–galaxy connection. Our models reach sub-per cent level accuracy down to |$1 \, h^{-1}\text{Mpc}$| and are robust against different choices of galaxy–halo connection modelling. When combined with the galaxy 2PCF, DSC can tighten the constraints on ωcdm, σ8, and ns by factors of 2.9, 1.9, and 2.1, respectively, compared to a 2PCF-only analysis. DSC additionally puts strong constraints on environment-based assembly bias parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse the clustering of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 14 quasar sample (DR14Q).We measure the redshift space distortions using the power-spectrum monopole, quadrupole, and hexadecapole inferred from 148 659 quasars between redshifts 0.8 and 2.2, covering a total sky footprint of 2112.9 deg2. We constrain the logarithmic growth of structure times the amplitude of dark matter density fluctuations, fσ8, and the Alcock-Paczynski dilation scales that allow constraints to be placed on the angular diameter distance DA(z) and the Hubble H(z) parameter. At the effective redshift of zeff = 1.52, fσ8(zeff) = 0.420 ± 0.076, H(zeff) = [162 ± 12] (r sfid/rs) kms-1 Mpc-1, and DA(zeff) = [1.85 ± 0.11] × 103 (rs/r sfid) Mpc, where rs is the comoving sound horizon at the baryon drag epoch and the superscript 'fid' stands for its fiducial value. The errors take into account the full error budget, including systematics and statistical contributions. These results are in full agreement with the current Λ-Cold Dark Matter cosmological model inferred from Planck measurements. Finally, we compare our measurements with other eBOSS companion papers and find excellent agreement, demonstrating the consistency and complementarity of the different methods used for analysing the data.

We analyse the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) signal of the final Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data release (DR12). Our analysis is performed in the Fourier space, using the power spectrum monopole and quadrupole. The data set includes 1198 006 galaxies over the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.75.We divide this data set into three (overlapping) redshift bins with the effective redshifts zeff = 0.38, 0.51 and 0.61. We demonstrate the reliability of our analysis pipeline using N-body simulations as well as ~1000 MultiDark- Patchy mock catalogues that mimic the BOSS-DR12 target selection. We apply density field reconstruction to enhance the BAO signal-to-noise ratio. By including the power spectrum quadrupole we can separate the line of sight and angular modes, which allows us to constrain the angular diameter distance DA(z) and the Hubble parameter H(z) separately. We obtain two independent 1.6 and 1.5 per cent constraints on DA(z) and 2.9 and 2.3 per cent constraints on H(z) for the low (zeff = 0.38) and high (zeff = 0.61) redshift bin, respectively. We obtain two independent 1 and 0.9 per cent constraints on the angular averaged distance DV(z), when ignoring the Alcock-Paczynski effect. The detection significance of the BAO signal is of the order of 8σ (post-reconstruction) for each of the three redshift bins. Our results are in good agreement with the Planck prediction within Λ cold dark matter. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.

We present a clustering analysis of the BOSS DR12 CMASS galaxy sample, combining measurements of the galaxy two-point correlation function and density-split clustering down to a scale of |$1 \, h^{-1}\, \text{Mpc}$|⁠. Our theoretical framework is based on emulators trained on high-fidelity mock galaxy catalogues that forward model the cosmological dependence of the clustering statistics within an extended-ΛCDM framework, including redshift-space and Alcock–Paczynski distortions. Our base-ΛCDM analysis finds ωcdm = 0.1201 ± 0.0022, σ8 = 0.792 ± 0.034, and ns  = 0.970 ± 0.018, corresponding to f σ8 = 0.462 ± 0.020 at z ≈ 0.525, which is in agreement with Planck 2018 predictions and various clustering studies in the literature. We test single-parameter extensions to base-ΛCDM, varying the running of the spectral index, the dark energy equation of state, and the density of mass-less relic neutrinos, finding no compelling evidence for deviations from the base model. We model the galaxy–halo connection using a halo occupation distribution framework, finding signatures of environment-based assembly bias in the data. We validate our pipeline against mock catalogues that match the clustering and selection properties of CMASS, showing that we can recover unbiased cosmological constraints even with a volume 84 times larger than the one used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the cosmological implications of the angle-averaged correlation function, ξ(s), and the clustering wedges, ξ⊥(s) and ξ∥(s), of the LOWZ and CMASS galaxy samples from Data Releases 10 and 11 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. Our results show no significant evidence for a deviation from the standard Λ cold dark matter model. The combination of the information from our clustering measurements with recent data from the cosmic microwave background is sufficient to constrain the curvature of the Universe to Ωk = 0.0010 ± 0.0029, the total neutrino mass to ∑mν < 0.23 eV (95 per cent confidence level), the effective number of relativistic species to Neff = 3.31 ± 0.27 and the dark energy equation of state to wDE = -1.051 ± 0.076. These limits are further improved by adding information from Type Ia supernovae and baryon acoustic oscillations from other samples. In particular, this data set combination is completely consistent with a time-independent dark energy equation of state, in which case we find wDE = -1.024 ± 0.052. We explore the constraints on the growth rate of cosmic structures assuming f(z) = Ωm(z)γ and obtain γ = 0.69 ± 0.15, consistent with the predictions of general relativity of γ = 0.55. © 2014 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

We use the observed anisotropic clustering of galaxies in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 11 CMASS sample to measure the linear growth rate of structure, the Hubble expansion rate and the comoving distance scale. Our sample covers 8498 deg2 and encloses an effective volume of 6 Gpc3 at an effective redshift of z̄ = 0.57. We find fσ8 = 0.441 ± 0.044, H = 93.1 ± 3.0 kms-1 Mpc-1 and DA = 1380 ± 23 Mpc when fitting the growth and expansion rate simultaneously. When we fix the background expansion to the one predicted by spatially flat δ cold dark matter (δCDM) model in agreement with recent Planck results,we find fσ8 =0.447±0.028 (6 per cent accuracy).While our measurements are generally consistent with the predictions of δCDM and general relativity, they mildly favour models in which the strength of gravitational interactions is weaker than what is predicted by general relativity. Combining our measurements with recent cosmic microwave background data results in tight constraints on basic cosmological parameters and deviations from the standard cosmological model. Separately varying these parameters, we find ω = -0.983 ± 0.075 (8 per cent accuracy) and γ = 0.69 ± 0.11 (16 per cent accuracy) for the effective equation of state of dark energy and the growth rate index, respectively. Both constraints are in good agreement with the standard model values of ω = -1 and γ = 0.554. © 2014 The Authors.

We present measurements of the angular diameter distance to and Hubble parameter at z = 0.57 from the measurement of the baryon acoustic peak in the correlation of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. Our analysis is based on asample from Data Release 9 of 264 283 galaxies over 3275 square degrees in the redshift range 0.43 < z < 0.70. We use two different methods to provide robust measurement of the acoustic peak position across and along the line of sight in order to measure the cosmological distance scale. We find DA(0.57) = 1408 ± 45 Mpc and H(0.57) = 92.9 ± 7.8 km s-1 Mpc-1 for our fiducial value of the sound horizon. These results from the anisotropic fitting are fully consistent with the analysis of the spherically averaged acoustic peak position presented in Anderson et al. Our distance measurements are a close match to the predictions of the standard cosmological model featuring a cosmological constant and zero spatial curvature. © 2014 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

We present a one per cent measurement of the cosmic distance scale from the detections of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the clustering of galaxies from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, which is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III. Our results come from the Data Release 11 (DR11) sample, containing nearly one million galaxies and covering approximately 8500 square degrees and the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.7. We also compare these results with those from the publicly released DR9 and DR10 samples. Assuming a concordance Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model, the DR11 sample covers a volume of 13 Gpc3 and is the largest region of the Universe ever surveyed at this density. We measure the correlation function and power spectrum, including density-field reconstruction of the BAO feature. The acoustic features are detected at a significance of over 7σ in both the correlation function and power spectrum. Fitting for the position of the acoustic features measures the distance relative to the sound horizon at the drag epoch, rd, which has a value of rd,fid = 149.28 Mpc in our fiducial cosmology. We find DV = (1264 ± 25 Mpc)(rd/rd,fid) at z = 0.32 and DV = (2056 ± 20 Mpc)(rd/rd,fid) at z = 0.57. At 1.0 per cent, this latter measure is the most precise distance constraint ever obtained from a galaxy survey. Separating the clustering along and transverse to the line of sight yields measurements at z = 0.57 of DA = (1421 ± 20 Mpc)(rd/rd,fid) and H = (96.8 ± 3.4 kms-1 Mpc-1)(rd,fid/rd). Our measurements of the distance scale are in good agreement with previous BAO measurements and with the predictions from cosmic microwave background data for a spatially flat CDM model with a cosmological constant. © 2014 The Author Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

We analyse the full shape of anisotropic clustering measurements from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey quasar sample together with the combined galaxy sample from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. We obtain constraints on the cosmological parameters independent of the Hubble parameter h for the extensions of the Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) models, focusing on cosmologies with free dark energy equation of state parameter w. We combine the clustering constraints with those from the latest cosmic microwave background data from Planck to obtain joint constraints for these cosmologies for w and the additional extension parameters – its time evolution w a, the physical curvature density ω K and the neutrino mass sum ∑ m ν. Our joint constraints are consistent with a flat ΛCDM cosmological model within 68  per cent confidence limits. We demonstrate that the Planck data are able to place tight constraints on the clustering amplitude today, σ12, in cosmologies with varying w and present the first constraints for the clustering amplitude for such cosmologies, which is found to be slightly higher than the ΛCDM value. Additionally, we show that when we vary w and allow for non-flat cosmologies and the physical curvature density is used, Planck prefers a curved universe at 4σ significance, which is ∼2σ higher than when using the relative curvature density ΩK. Finally, when w is varied freely, clustering provides only a modest improvement (of 0.021 eV) on the upper limit of ∑ m ν. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the analysis of the full shape of anisotropic clustering measurement from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) quasar sample together with the combined galaxy sample from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), re-analysed using an updated recipe for the non-linear matter power spectrum and the non-local bias parameters. We obtain constraints for flat Lambda cold dark matter cosmologies, focusing on the cosmological parameters that are independent of the Hubble parameter h. Our recovered value for the Root Mean Square (RMS) linear perturbation theory variance as measured on the scale of |$12\, {\rm Mpc}$| is σ12 = 0.805 ± 0.049, while using the traditional reference scale of |$8\, h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$| gives σ8 = 0.815 ± 0.044. We quantify the agreement between our measurements and the latest cosmic microwave background data from Planck using the suspiciousness metric, and find them to be consistent within 0.64 ± 0.03σ. Combining our clustering constraints with the 3 × 2pt data sample from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 release slightly degrades this agreement to the level of 1.54 ± 0.08σ, while still showing an overall consistency with Planck. We furthermore study the effect of imposing a Planck – like prior on the parameters that define the shape of the linear matter power spectrum, and find significantly tighter constraints on the parameters that control the evolution of density fluctuations. In particular, the combination of low-redshift data sets prefers a value of the physical dark energy density ωDE = 0.335 ± 0.011, which is 1.7σ higher than the one preferred by Planck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the second part of a thorough investigation of the redshift-space effects that affect void properties and the impact they have on cosmological tests. Here, we focus on the void-galaxy cross-correlation function, specifically, on the projected versions that we developed in a previous work. The pillar of the analysis is the one-to-one relationship between real and redshift-space voids above the shot-noise level identified with a spherical void finder. Under this mapping, void properties are affected by three effects: (i) a systematic expansion as a consequence of the distortions induced by galaxy dynamics, (ii) the Alcock–Paczynski volume effect, which manifests as an overall expansion or contraction depending on the fiducial cosmology, and (iii) a systematic off-centring along the line of sight as a consequence of the distortions induced by void dynamics. We found that correlations are also affected by an additional source of distortions: the ellipticity of voids. This is the first time that distortions due to the off-centring and ellipticity effects are detected and quantified. With a simplified test, we verified that the Gaussian streaming model is still robust provided all these effects are taken into account, laying the foundations for improvements in current models in order to obtain unbiased cosmological constraints from spectroscopic surveys. Besides this practical importance, this analysis also encodes key information about the structure and dynamics of the Universe at the largest scales. Furthermore, some of the effects constitute cosmological probes by themselves, as is the case of the void ellipticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate modelling of redshift-space distortions (RSD) is challenging in the non-linear regime for two-point statistics e.g. the two-point correlation function (2PCF). We take a different perspective to split the galaxy density field according to the local density, and cross-correlate those densities with the entire galaxy field. Using mock galaxies, we demonstrate that combining a series of cross-correlation functions (CCFs) offers improvements over the 2PCF as follows: (1) The distribution of peculiar velocities in each split density is nearly Gaussian. This allows the Gaussian streaming model for RSD to perform accurately within the statistical errors of a (⁠|$1.5\, h^{-1}$| Gpc)3 volume for almost all scales and all split densities. (2) The probability distribution of the density contrast at small scales is non-Gaussian, but the CCFs of split densities capture the non-Gaussianity, leading to improved cosmological constraints over the 2PCF. We can obtain unbiased constraints on the growth parameter f σ12 at the per cent level, and Alcock–Paczynski (AP) parameters at the sub-per cent level with the minimal scale of |$15\, h^{-1}{\rm Mpc}$|⁠. This is a ∼30 per cent and ∼6 times improvement over the 2PCF, respectively. The diverse and steep slopes of the CCFs at small scales are likely to be responsible for the improved constraints of AP parameters. (3) Baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) are contained in all CCFs of split densities. Including BAO scales helps to break the degeneracy between the line-of-sight and transverse AP parameters, allowing independent constraints on them. We discuss and compare models for RSD around spherical densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voids are promising cosmological probes. Nevertheless, every cosmological test based on voids must necessarily employ methods to identify them in redshift space. Therefore, redshift-space distortions (RSD) and the Alcock–Paczyński effect (AP) have an impact on the void identification process itself generating distortion patterns in observations. Using a spherical void finder, we developed a statistical and theoretical framework to describe physically the connection between the identification in real and redshift space. We found that redshift-space voids above the shot noise level have a unique real-space counterpart spanning the same region of space, they are systematically bigger and their centres are preferentially shifted along the line of sight. The expansion effect is a by-product of RSD induced by tracer dynamics at scales around the void radius, whereas the off-centring effect constitutes a different class of RSD induced at larger scales by the global dynamics of the whole region containing the void. The volume of voids is also altered by the fiducial cosmology assumed to measure distances, this is the AP change of volume. These three systematics have an impact on cosmological statistics. In this work, we focus on the void size function. We developed a theoretical framework to model these effects and tested it with a numerical simulation, recovering the statistical properties of the abundance of voids in real space. This description depends strongly on cosmology. Hence, we lay the foundations for improvements in current models of the abundance of voids in order to obtain unbiased cosmological constraints from redshift surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new cosmological test using the distribution of galaxies around cosmic voids without assuming a fiducial cosmology. The test is based on a physical model for the void–galaxy cross-correlation function projected along and perpendicular to the line of sight. We treat correlations in terms of void-centric angular distances and redshift differences between void–galaxy pairs, hence it is not necessary to assume a fiducial cosmology. This model reproduces the coupled dynamical (Kaiser effect, RSD) and geometrical (Alcock–Paczynski effect, GD) distortions that affect the correlation measurements. It also takes into account the scale mixing due to the projection ranges in both directions. The model is general, so it can be applied to an arbitrary cylindrical binning scheme, not only in the case of the projected correlations. It primarily depends on two cosmological parameters: Ω m , the matter fraction of the Universe today (sensitive to GD), and β, the ratio between the growth rate factor of density perturbations and the tracer bias (sensitive to RSD). In the context of the new generation of galaxy spectroscopic surveys, we calibrated the test using the Millennium XXL simulation for different redshifts. The method successfully recovers the cosmological parameters. We studied the effect of measuring with different projection ranges, finding robust results up to wide ranges. The resulting data covariance matrices are relatively small, which reduces the noise in the Gaussian likelihood analysis and will allow the usage of a smaller number of mock catalogues. The performance evaluated in this work indicates that the developed method is a promising test to be applied on real data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the accuracy of several approximate methods for gravitational dynamics in terms of halo power spectrum multipoles and their estimated covariance matrix. We propagate the differences in covariances into parameter constraints related to growth rate of structure, Alcock–Paczynski distortions, and biasing. We consider seven methods in three broad categories: algorithms that solve for halo density evolution deterministically using Lagrangian trajectories (ICE–COLA, pinocchio, and peakpatch), methods that rely on halo assignment schemes on to dark matter overdensities calibrated with a target N-body run (halogen, patchy), and two standard assumptions about the full density probability distribution function (Gaussian and lognormal). We benchmark their performance against a set of three hundred N-body simulations, running similar sets of approximate simulations with matched initial conditions, for each method. We find that most methods reproduce the monopole to within |$5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$|⁠, while residuals for the quadrupole are sometimes larger and scale dependent. The variance of the multipoles is typically reproduced within |$10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$|⁠. Overall, we find that covariances built from approximate simulations yield errors on model parameters within |$10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| of those from the N-body-based covariance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the measurements of the bispectrum and the estimate of its covariance obtained from a set of different methods for the efficient generation of approximate dark matter halo catalogues to the same quantities obtained from full N -body simulations. To this purpose we employ a large set of 300 realizations of the same cosmology for each method, run with matching initial conditions in order to reduce the contribution of cosmic variance to the comparison. In addition, we compare how the error on cosmological parameters such as linear and non-linear bias parameters depends on the approximate method used for the determination of the bispectrum variance. As general result, most methods provide errors within 10 per cent of the errors estimated from N -body simulations. Exceptions are those methods requiring calibration of the clustering amplitude but restrict this to 2-point statistics. Finally we test how our results are affected by being limited to a few hundreds measurements from N -body simulation by comparing with a larger set of several thousands of realizations performed with one approximate method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the first in a set that analyses the covariance matrices of clustering statistics obtained from several approximate methods for gravitational structure formation. We focus here on the covariance matrices of anisotropic two-point correlation function measurements. Our comparison includes seven approximate methods, which can be divided into three categories: predictive methods that follow the evolution of the linear density field deterministically (ice-cola, peak patch, and pinocchio), methods that require a calibration with N -body simulations (patchy and halogen), and simpler recipes based on assumptions regarding the shape of the probability distribution function (PDF) of density fluctuations (lognormal and Gaussian density fields). We analyse the impact of using covariance estimates obtained from these approximate methods on cosmological analyses of galaxy clustering measurements, using as a reference the covariances inferred from a set of full N -body simulations. We find that all approximate methods can accurately recover the mean parameter values inferred using the N -body covariances. The obtained parameter uncertainties typically agree with the corresponding N -body results within 5 per cent for our lower mass threshold and 10 per cent for our higher mass threshold. Furthermore, we find that the constraints for some methods can differ by up to 20 per cent depending on whether the halo samples used to define the covariance matrices are defined by matching the mass, number density, or clustering amplitude of the parent N -body samples. The results of our configuration-space analysis indicate that most approximate methods provide similar results, with no single method clearly outperforming the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use baryon acoustic oscillation and redshift space distortion from the completed Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, corresponding to Data Release 12 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, combined sample analysis in combination with cosmic microwave background, supernova, and redshift space distortion measurements from additional spectroscopic surveys to test deviations from general relativity. We present constraints on several phenomenological models of modified gravity: First, we parametrize the growth of structure using the growth index γ , finding γ = 0.566 ± 0.058 (68 per cent C.L.). Secondly, we modify the relation of the two Newtonian potentials by introducing two additional parameters, GM and GL. In this approach, GM refers to modifications of the growth of structure whereas GL to modification of the lensing potential. We consider a power law to model the redshift dependence of GM and GL as well as binning in redshift space, introducing four additional degrees of freedom, GM(z < 0.5), GM(z > 0.5), GL(z < 0.5), and GL(z > 0.5). At 68 per cent C.L., we measure GM = 0.980 ± 0.096 and GL = 1.082 ± 0.060 for a linear model, GM = 1.01 ± 0.36 and GL = 1.31 ± 0.19 for a cubic model as well as GM(z < 0.5) = 1.26 ± 0.32, GM(z > 0.5) = 0.986 ± 0.022, GL(z < 0.5) = 1.067 ± 0.058, and GL(z > 0.5) = 1.037 ± 0.029. Thirdly, we investigate general scalar tensor theories of gravity, finding the model to be mostly unconstrained by current data. Assuming a one-parameter f(R) model, we can constrain B0 < 7.7 × 10-5 (95 per cent C.L). For all models we considered, we find good agreement with general relativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the cosmological implications of studying galaxy clustering using a tomographic approach applied to the final Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) DR12 galaxy sample, including both auto- and cross-correlation functions between redshift shells. We model the signal of the full shape of the angular correlation function, ω(θ), in redshift bins using state-of-the-art modelling of non-linearities, bias and redshift-space distortions. We present results on the redshift evolution of the linear bias of BOSS galaxies, which cannot be obtained with traditional methods for galaxy-clustering analysis. We also obtain constraints on cosmological parameters, combining this tomographic analysis with measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Type Ia supernova (SNIa).We explore a number of cosmological models, including the standard Λ cold darkmattermodel and its most interesting extensions, such as deviations from wDE=-1, non-minimal neutrino masses, spatial curvature and deviations from general relativity (GR) using the growth-index γ parametrization. These results are, in general, comparable to the most precise present-day constraints on cosmological parameters, and show very good agreement with the standard model. In particular, combining CMB, ω(θ) and SNIa, we find a value of wDE consistent with -1 to a precision better than 5 per cent when it is assumed to be constant in time, and better than 6 per cent when we also allow for a spatially curved Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extract cosmological information from the anisotropic power-spectrummeasurements from the recently completed Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), extending the concept of clustering wedges to Fourier space. Making use of new fast-Fourier-transform-based estimators, we measure the power-spectrum clustering wedges of the BOSS sample by filtering out the information of Legendre multipoles ℓ > 4. Our modelling of these measurements is based on novel approaches to describe non-linear evolution, bias and redshift-space distortions, which we test using synthetic catalogues based on large-volume N-body simulations. We are able to include smaller scales than in previous analyses, resulting in tighter cosmological constraints. Using three overlapping redshift bins, we measure the angular-diameter distance, the Hubble parameter and the cosmic growth rate and explore the cosmological implications of our full-shape clustering measurements in combination with cosmic microwave background and Type Ia supernova data. Assuming a Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology, we constrain the matter density #8230; and the Hubble parameter to #8230; , at a confidence level of 68 per cent. We also allow for nonstandard dark energy models and modifications of the growth rate, finding good agreement with the ΛCDM paradigm. For example, we constrain the equation-of-state parameter to #8230;. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy-clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the cosmological implications of anisotropic clustering measurements in configuration space of the final galaxy samples from Data Release 12 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. We implement a new detailed modelling of the effects of non-linearities, bias and redshift-space distortions that can be used to extract unbiased cosmological information from our measurements for scales s ≳ 20 h-1 Mpc. We combined the information from Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) with the latest cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations and Type Ia supernovae samples and found no significant evidence for a deviation from the Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model. In particular, these data sets can constrain the dark energy equationof- state parameter to wDE = -0.996 ± 0.042 when to be assumed time independent, the curvature of the Universe to Ωk = -0.0007 ± 0.0030 and the sum of the neutrino masses to ∑m2 < 0.25 eV at 95 per cent confidence levels. We explore the constraints on the growth rate of cosmic structures assuming f(z)=Ωm(z)γ and obtain γ =0.609±0.079, in good agreement with the predictions of general relativity of γ = 0.55. We compress the information of our clustering measurements into constraints on the parameter combinations DV(z)/rd, FAP(z) and ƒσ8(z) at zeff = 0.38, 0.51 and 0.61 with their respective covariance matrices and find good agreement with the predictions for these parameters obtained from the best-fitting ΛCDM model to the CMB data from the Planck satellite. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others by Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cosmological information contained in anisotropic galaxy clustering measurements can often be compressed into a small number of parameters whose posterior distribution is well described by a Gaussian. We present a general methodology to combine these estimates into a single set of consensus constraints that encode the total information of the individual measurements, taking into account the full covariance between the different methods. We illustrate this technique by applying it to combine the results obtained from different clustering analyses, including measurements of the signature of baryon acoustic oscillations and redshiftspace distortions, based on a set of mock catalogues of the final SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Our results show that the region of the parameter space allowed by the consensus constraints is smaller than that of the individual methods, highlighting the importance of performing multiple analyses on galaxy surveys even when the measurements are highly correlated. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The methodology presented here is used in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the cosmological implications of the latest growth of structure measurement from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS Data Release 11 with particular focus on the sum of the neutrino masses, ∑mν. We examine the robustness of the cosmological constraints from the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale, the Alcock–Paczynski effect and redshift-space distortions (DV/rs, FAP, fσ8) of Beutler et al., when introducing a neutrino mass in the power spectrum template. We then discuss how the neutrino mass relaxes discrepancies between the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and other low-redshift measurements within Λ cold dark matter. Combining our cosmological constraints with 9-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP9) yields ∑mν = 0.36 ± 0.14 eV (68 per cent c.l.), which represents a 2.6σ preference for non-zero neutrino mass. The significance can be increased to 3.3σ when including weak lensing results and other BAO constraints, yielding ∑mν = 0.35 ± 0.10 eV (68 per cent c.l.). However, combining CMASS with Planck data reduces the preference for neutrino mass to ∼2σ. When removing the CMB lensing effect in the Planck temperature power spectrum (by marginalizing over AL), we see shifts of ∼1σ in σ8 and Ωm, which have a significant effect on the neutrino mass constraints. In the case of CMASS plus Planck without the AL lensing signal, we find a preference for a neutrino mass of ∑mν = 0.34 ± 0.14 eV (68 per cent c.l.), in excellent agreement with the WMAP9+CMASS value. The constraint can be tightened to 3.4σ yielding ∑mν = 0.36 ± 0.10 eV (68 per cent c.l.) when weak lensing data and other BAO constraints are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We test the cosmological implications of studying galaxy clustering using a tomographic approach, by computing the galaxy two-point angular correlation function ω(θ) in thin redshift shells using a spectroscopic redshift galaxy survey. The advantages of this procedure are that it is not necessary to assume a fiducial cosmology in order to convert measured angular positions and redshifts into distances, and that it gives several (less accurate) measurements of the angular diameter distance DA(z) instead of only one (more precise) measurement of the effective average distance DV(z), which results in better constraints on the expansion history of the Universe. We test our model for ω(θ) and its covariance matrix against a set of mock galaxy catalogues and show that this technique is able to extract unbiased cosmological constraints. Also, assuming the best-fitting Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology from the cosmic microwave background measurements from the Planck satellite, we forecast the result of applying this tomographic approach to the final Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey catalogue in combination with Planck for three flat cosmological models, and compare them with the expected results of the isotropic baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements post-reconstruction on the same galaxy catalogue combined with Planck. While BAOs are more accurate for constraining cosmological parameters for the standard ΛCDM model, the tomographic technique gives better results when we allow the dark energy equation of state wDE to deviate from −1, resulting in a performance similar to BAOs in the case of a constant value of wDE, and a moderate improvement in the case of a time-dependent value of wDE, increasing the value of the figure of merit in the w0–wa plane up to 15 per cent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We analyse the anisotropic clustering of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS Data Release 11 (DR11) sample, which consists of 690 827 galaxies in the redshift range 0.43 < z < 0.7 and has a sky coverage of 8498 deg2. We perform our analysis in Fourier space using a power spectrum estimator suggested by Yamamoto et al. We measure the multipole power spectra in a self-consistent manner for the first time in the sense that we provide a proper way to treat the survey window function and the integral constraint, without the commonly used assumption of an isotropic power spectrum and without the need to split the survey into subregions. The main cosmological signals exploited in our analysis are the baryon acoustic oscillations and the signal of redshift space distortions, both of which are distorted by the Alcock–Paczynski effect. Together, these signals allow us to constrain the distance ratio DV(zeff)/rs(zd) = 13.89 ± 0.18, the Alcock–Paczynski parameter FAP(zeff) = 0.679 ± 0.031 and the growth rate of structure f (zeff)σ8(zeff) = 0.419 ± 0.044 at the effective redshift zeff = 0.57. We emphasize that our constraints are robust against possible systematic uncertainties. In order to ensure this, we perform a detailed systematics study against CMASS mock galaxy catalogues and N-body simulations. We find that such systematics will lead to 3.1 per cent uncertainty for fσ8 if we limit our fitting range to k = 0.01–0.20 h Mpc−1, where the statistical uncertainty is expected to be three times larger. We did not find significant systematic uncertainties for DV/rs or FAP. Combining our data set with Planck to test General Relativity (GR) through the simple γ-parametrization, where the growth rate is given by $f(z) = \Omega ^{\gamma }_{\rm m}(z)$, reveals a ∼2σ tension between the data and the prediction by GR. The tension between our result and GR can be traced back to a tension in the clustering amplitude σ8 between CMASS and Planck. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT We analyse the anisotropic clustering of massive galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 9 (DR9) sample, which consists of 264 283 galaxies in the redshift range 0.43 < z < 0.7 spanning 3275 deg2. Both peculiar velocities and errors in the assumed redshift-distance relation ('Alcock-Paczynski effect') generate correlations between clustering amplitude and orientation with respect to the line of sight. Together with the sharp baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) standard ruler, our measurements of the broad-band shape of the monopole and quadrupole correlation functions simultaneously constrain the comoving angular diameter distance (2190 ± 61 Mpc) to z = 0.57, the Hubble expansion rate at z = 0.57 (92.4 ± 4.5 km s−1 Mpc−1) and the growth rate of structure at that same redshift (dσ8/d ln a = 0.43 ± 0.069). Our analysis provides the best current direct determination of both DA and H in galaxy clustering data using this technique. If we further assume a Λcold dark matter expansion history, our growth constraint tightens to dσ8/d ln a = 0.415 ± 0.034. In combination with the cosmic microwave background, our measurements of DA, H and dσ8/d ln a all separately require dark energy at z > 0.57, and when combined imply ΩΛ = 0.74 ± 0.016, independent of the Universe's evolution at z < 0.57. All of these constraints assume scale-independent linear growth, and assume general relativity to compute both [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We obtain constraints on cosmological parameters from the spherically averaged redshift-space correlation function of the CMASS Data Release 9 (DR9) sample of the Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We combine this information with additional data from recent cosmic microwave background (CMB), supernova and baryon acoustic oscillation measurements. Our results show no significant evidence of deviations from the standard flat Λ cold dark matter model, whose basic parameters can be specified by Ωm = 0.285 ± 0.009, 100 Ωb = 4.59 ± 0.09, ns = 0.961 ± 0.009, H0 = 69.4 ± 0.8 km s−1 Mpc−1 and σ8 = 0.80 ± 0.02. The CMB+CMASS combination sets tight constraints on the curvature of the Universe, with Ω k = −0.0043 ± 0.0049, and the tensor-to-scalar amplitude ratio, for which we find r < 0.16 at the 95 per cent confidence level (CL). These data show a clear signature of a deviation from scale invariance also in the presence of tensor modes, with ns < 1 at the 99.7 per cent CL. We derive constraints on the fraction of massive neutrinos of fν < 0.049 (95 per cent CL), implying a limit of ∑ mν < 0.51 eV. We find no signature of a deviation from a cosmological constant from the combination of all data sets, with a constraint of wDE = −1.033 ± 0.073 when this parameter is assumed time-independent, and no evidence of a departure from this value when it is allowed to evolve as wDE( a) = w0 + w a(1 − a). The achieved accuracy on our cosmological constraints is a clear demonstration of the constraining power of current cosmological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We obtain cosmological constraints from a measurement of the spherically averaged power spectrum of the distribution of about 90 000 luminous red galaxies (LRGs) across 7646 deg2 in the Northern Galactic Cap from the seventh data release (DR7) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The errors and mode correlations are estimated thanks to the 160 LasDamas mock catalogues, created in order to simulate the same galaxies and to have the same selection as the data. We apply a model that can accurately describe the full shape of the power spectrum with the use of a small number of free parameters. Using the LRG power spectrum, in combination with the latest measurement of the temperature and polarization anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the luminosity-distance relation from the largest available Type 1a supernovae (SNIa) data set and a precise determination of the local Hubble parameter, we obtain cosmological constraints for five different parameter spaces. When all the four experiments are combined, the flat ΛCDM model is characterized by , Ωb= 0.045 ± 0.001, ns= 0.963 ± 0.011, σ8= 0.802 ± 0.021 and H0= 71.2 ± 1.4 km s−1 Mpc−1. When we consider curvature as a free parameter, we do not detect deviations from flatness: Ωk= (1.6 ± 5.4) × 10−3, when only CMB and the LRG power spectrum are used; the inclusion of the other two experiments does not improve this result substantially. We also test for possible deviations from the cosmological constant paradigm. Considering the dark energy equation of state parameter wDE as time independent, we measure , if the geometry is assumed to be flat, otherwise. When describing wDE through a simple linear function of the scale factor, our results do not evidence any time evolution. In the next few years new experiments will allow us to measure the clustering of galaxies with a precision much higher than achievable today. Models like the one used here will be a valuable tool in order to achieve the full potentials of the observations and obtain unbiased constraints on the cosmological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply a new model for the spherically averaged correlation function at large pair separations to the measurement of the clustering of luminous red galaxies (LRGs) made from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by Cabre & Gaztañaga. Our model takes into account the form of the baryonic acoustic oscillation peak and the large-scale shape of the correlation function. We perform a Monte Carlo Markov chain analysis for different combinations of data sets and for different parameter sets. When used in combination with a compilation of the latest cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements, the LRG clustering and the latest supernovae results give constraints on cosmological parameters which are comparable and in remarkably good agreement, resolving the tension reported in some studies. The best-fitting model in the context of a flat, Λ cold dark matter cosmology is specified by and . If we allow the time-independent dark energy equation of state parameter to vary, we find results consistent with a cosmological constant at the 5 per cent level using all data sets: . The large-scale structure measurements by themselves can constrain the dark energy equation-of-state parameter to , independently of CMB or supernovae data. We do not find convincing evidence for an evolving equation of state. We provide a set of ‘extended distance priors’ that contain the most relevant information from the CMB power spectrum and the shape of the LRG correlation function which can be used to constrain dark energy models and spatial curvature. Our model should provide an accurate description of the clustering even in much larger, forthcoming surveys, such as those planned with NASA's JDEM or ESA's Euclid mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published galaxy power spectra from the two-degree field galaxy redshift survey (2dFGRS) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) are not in good agreement. We revisit this issue by analysing both the 2dFGRS and SDSS Data Release 5 (DR5) catalogues using essentially identical techniques. We confirm that the 2dFGRS exhibits relatively more large-scale power than the SDSS, or, equivalently, SDSS has more small-scale power. We demonstrate that this difference is due to the r-band selected SDSS catalogue being dominated by more strongly clustered red galaxies, which have a stronger scale-dependent bias. The power spectra of galaxies of the same rest-frame colours from the two surveys match well. If not accounted for, the difference between the SDSS and 2dFGRS power spectra causes a bias in the obtained constraints on cosmological parameters which is larger than the uncertainty with which they are determined. We also found that the correction developed by Cole et al. to model the distortion in the shape of the power spectrum due to non-linear evolution and scale-dependent bias is not able to reconcile the constraints obtained from the 2dFGRS and SDSS power spectra. Intriguingly, the model is able to describe the differences between the 2dFGRS and the much more strongly clustered Luminous Red Galaxy (LRG) sample, which exhibits greater non-linearities. This shows that more work is needed to understand the relation between the galaxy power spectrum and the linear perturbation theory prediction for the power spectrum of matter fluctuations. It is therefore important to accurately model these effects to get precise estimates of cosmological parameters from these power spectra and from future galaxy surveys like Pan-STARRS, or the Dark Energy Survey, which will use selection criteria similar to the one of SDSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive constraints on cosmological parameters using the power spectrum of galaxy clustering measured from the final 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) and a compilation of measurements of the temperature power spectrum and temperature–polarization cross-correlation of the cosmic microwave background radiation. We analyse a range of parameter sets and priors, allowing for massive neutrinos, curvature, tensors and general dark energy models. In all cases, the combination of data sets tightens the constraints, with the most dramatic improvements found for the density of dark matter and the energy density of dark energy. If we assume a flat universe, we find a matter density parameter of , a baryon density parameter of , a Hubble constant of , a linear theory matter fluctuation amplitude of and a scalar spectral index of (all errors show the 68 per cent interval). Our estimate of ns is only marginally consistent with the scale-invariant value ; this spectrum is formally excluded at the 95 per cent confidence level. However, the detection of a tilt in the spectrum is sensitive to the choice of parameter space. If we allow the equation of state of the dark energy to float, we find , consistent with a cosmological constant. We also place new limits on the mass fraction of massive neutrinos: at the 95 per cent level, corresponding to . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]