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We have developed an analytical method based on forward-modelling techniques to characterize the high-mass end of the red sequence (RS) galaxy population at redshift z ~ 0.55, from the DR10 BOSS (Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey) CMASS spectroscopic sample, which comprises ~600 000 galaxies. The method, which follows an unbinned maximum likelihood approach, allows the deconvolution of the intrinsic CMASS colour-colour-magnitude distributions from photometric errors and selection effects. This procedure requires modelling the covariance matrix for the i-band magnitude, g - r colour and r - i colour using Stripe 82 multi-epoch data. Our results indicate that the error-deconvolved intrinsic RS distribution is consistent, within the photometric uncertainties, with a single point (<0.05 mag) in the colour-colour plane at fixed magnitude, for a narrow redshift slice. We have computed the high-mass end (0.55Mi≲ -22) of the 0.55i-band RS luminosity function (RS LF) in several redshift slices within the redshift range 0.52 < z < 0.63. In this narrow redshift range, the evolution of the RS LF is consistent, within the uncertainties in the modelling, with a passively evolving model with Φ* = (7.248 ± 0.204) × 10-4 Mpc-3 mag-1, fading at a rate of 1.5 ± 0.4 mag per unit redshift. We report RS completeness as a function of magnitude and redshift in the CMASS sample, which will facilitate a variety of galaxy-evolution and clustering studies using BOSS. Our forward-modelling method lays the foundations for future studies using other dark-energy surveys like the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey or the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, which are affected by the same type of photometric blurring/selection effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the clustering and halo occupation distribution of Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS galaxies in the redshift range 0.43 < z < 0.7 drawn from the Final SDSS-III Data Release. We compare the BOSS results with the predictions of a halo abundance matching (HAM) clustering model that assigns galaxies to dark matter haloes selected from the large Big Multi Dark N-body simulation of a flat Λ cold dark matter Planck cosmology. We compare the observational data with the simulated ones on a light cone constructed from 20 subsequent outputs of the simulation. Observational effects such as incompleteness, geometry, veto masks and fibre collisions are included in the model, which reproduces within 1σ errors the observed monopole of the two-point correlation function at all relevant scales: from the smallest scales, 0.5 h-1 Mpc, up to scales beyond the baryon acoustic oscillation feature. This model also agrees remarkably well with the BOSS galaxy power spectrum (up to k ~ 1 h Mpc-1), and the three-point correlation function. The quadrupole of the correlation function presents some tensions with observations. We discuss possible causes that can explain this disagreement, including target selection effects. Overall, the standard HAM model describes remarkably well the clustering statistics of the CMASS sample. We compare the stellar-to-halo mass relation for the CMASS sample measured using weak lensing in the Canada--France--Hawaii Telescope Stripe 82 Survey with the prediction of our clustering model, and find a good agreement within 1σ. The BigMD-BOSS light cone including properties of BOSS galaxies and halo properties is made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reproduce the galaxy clustering catalogue from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Final Data Release (BOSS DR11&DR12) with high fidelity on all relevant scales in order to allow a robust analysis of baryon acoustic oscillations and redshift space distortions. We have generated (6000) 12 288 MultiDark PATCHY BOSS (DR11) DR12 light cones corresponding to an effective volume of ∼192 000 [h-1 Gpc]³ (the largest ever simulated volume), including cosmic evolution in the redshift range from 0.15 to 0.75. The mocks have been calibrated using a reference galaxy catalogue based on the halo abundance matching modelling of the BOSS DR11&DR12 galaxy clustering data and on the data themselves. The production follows three steps. First, we apply the PATCHY code to generate a dark matter field and an object distribution including non-linear stochastic galaxy bias. Secondly, we run the halo/stellar distribution reconstruction HADRON code to assign masses to the various objects. This step uses the mass distribution as a function of local density and non-local indicators (i.e. tidal field tensor eigenvalues and relative halo exclusion separation for massive objects) from the reference simulation applied to the corresponding patchy dark matter and galaxy distribution. Finally, we apply the SUGAR code to build the light cones. The resulting MultiDarkPATCHY mock light cones reproduce the number density, selection function, survey geometry, and in general within 1s, for arbitrary stellar mass bins, the power spectrum up to k = 0.3 h Mpc-1, the two-point correlation functions down to a few Mpc scales, and the three-point statistics of the BOSS DR11&DR12 galaxy samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]