A cross-correlation-based estimate of the galaxy luminosity function

Abstract

We extend existing methods for using cross-correlations to derive redshift distributions for photometric galaxies, without using photometric redshifts. The model presented in this paper simultaneously yields highly accurate and unbiased redshift distributions and, for the first time, redshift-dependent luminosity functions, using only clustering information and the apparent magnitudes of the galaxies as input. In contrast to many existing techniques for recovering unbiased redshift distributions, the output of our method is not degenerate with the galaxy bias b(z), which is achieved by modelling the shape of the luminosity bias. We successfully apply our method to a mock galaxy survey and discuss improvements to be made before applying our model to real data.

14 pages, 7 figures. Replaced to match the version accepted by MNRAS

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• Gravitational waves $\times$ HI intensity mapping: cosmological and astrophysical applications
• HI Intensity Mapping for Clustering-Based Redshift Estimation
• A Composite Likelihood Approach for Inference under Photometric Redshift Uncertainty
• Mass Functions, Luminosity Functions, and Completeness Measurements from Clustering Redshifts
• Modelling the luminosity function of long Gamma Ray Bursts using SWIFT and FERMI
• On The Role of Supermassive Black Holes in Quenching Star Formation in Local Central Galaxies
• Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): $\mathbf{z}\sim 0$ Galaxy Luminosity Function down to $\mathbf{L}\sim 10^6{\mathbf{L}}_{\odot }$ via Clustering Based Redshift Inference
• Joint Modelling of Astrophysical Systematics for Cosmology with LSST Cosmic Shear
• Measurement of the evolving galaxy luminosity and mass function using clustering-based redshift inference