The Voronoi Tessellation Cluster Finder in 2+1 Dimensions

We present a detailed description of the Voronoi Tessellation (VT) cluster finder algorithm in 2+1 dimensions, which improves on past implementations of this technique. The need for cluster finder algorithms able to produce reliable cluster catalogs up to redshift 1 or beyond and down to 1013.5 sola...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2011-01, Vol.727 (1), p.45-jQuery1323911818192='47'
Main Authors: Soares-Santos, Marcelle, de Carvalho, Reinaldo R, Annis, James, Gal, Roy R, La Barbera, Francesco, Lopes, Paulo A. A, Wechsler, Risa H, Busha, Michael T, Gerke, Brian F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALGORITHMS
Astrophysics
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
Clusters
Completeness
Construction
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
COSMOLOGY
DETECTION
DIMENSIONS
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
SKY
Surveys
Tessellation
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Summary:We present a detailed description of the Voronoi Tessellation (VT) cluster finder algorithm in 2+1 dimensions, which improves on past implementations of this technique. The need for cluster finder algorithms able to produce reliable cluster catalogs up to redshift 1 or beyond and down to 1013.5 solar masses is paramount especially in light of upcoming surveys aiming at cosmological constraints from galaxy cluster number counts. We build the VT in photometric redshift shells and use the two-point correlation function of the galaxies in the field to both determine the density threshold for detection of cluster candidates and to establish their significance. This allows us to detect clusters in a self-consistent way without any assumptions about their astrophysical properties. We apply the VT to mock catalogs which extend to redshift 1.4 reproducing the Delta *LCDM cosmology and the clustering properties observed in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. An objective estimate of the cluster selection function in terms of the completeness and purity as a function of mass and redshift is as important as having a reliable cluster finder. We measure these quantities by matching the VT cluster catalog with the mock truth table. We show that the VT can produce a cluster catalog with completeness and purity >80% for the redshift range up to ~1 and mass range down to ~1013.5 solar masses.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/727/1/45