Detection of the baryon acoustic peak in the large-scale correlation function of SDSS luminous red galaxies
We present the large-scale correlation function measured from a spectroscopic sample of 46,748 luminous red galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The survey region covers 0.72h{sup -3} Gpc{sup 3} over 3816 square degrees and 0.16 < z < 0.47, making it the best sample yet for the study of large-scale structure. We find a well-detected peak in the correlation function at 100h{sup -1} Mpc separation that is an excellent match to the predicted shape and location of the imprint of the recombination-epoch acoustic oscillations on the low-redshift clustering of matter. This detection demonstrates the linear growth of structure by gravitational instability between z {approx} 1000 and the present and confirms a firm prediction of the standard cosmological theory. The acoustic peak provides a standard ruler by which we can measure the ratio of the distances to z = 0.35 and z = 1089 to 4% fractional accuracy and the absolute distance to z = 0.35 to 5% accuracy. From the overall shape of the correlation function, we measure the matter density {Omega}{sub m}h{sup 2} to 8% and find agreement with the value from cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. Independent of the constraints provided by the CMB acoustic scale, we find {Omega}{sub m} = 0.273 {+-} 0.025 + 0.123(1 + w{sub 0}) + 0.137{Omega}{sub K}. Including the CMB acoustic scale, we find that the spatial curvature is {Omega}{sub K} = -0.010 {+-} 0.009 if the dark energy is a cosmological constant. More generally, our results provide a measurement of cosmological distance, and hence an argument for dark energy, based on a geometric method with the same simple physics as the microwave background anisotropies. The standard cosmological model convincingly passes these new and robust tests of its fundamental properties.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03000
- OSTI ID:
- 15017311
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-PUB-05-057-A-CD; arXiv eprint number astro-ph/0501171; TRN: US0700266
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys.J.633:560-574,2005, Journal Name: Astrophys.J.633:560-574,2005
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Observational constraints on dark energy and cosmic curvature
USING A PHENOMENOLOGICAL MODEL TO TEST THE COINCIDENCE PROBLEM OF DARK ENERGY
Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACCURACY
ACOUSTICS
BARYONS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
DETECTION
FORECASTING
GALAXIES
GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY
OSCILLATIONS
PHYSICS
RELICT RADIATION
SHAPE
SKY
Astrophysics