BigBOSS: The Ground-Based Stage IV Dark Energy Experiment

TL;DR

BigBOSS is a ground-based dark energy experiment using a new multi-object spectrograph to measure BAO and galaxy redshifts, aiming to understand dark energy with high precision and lower cost.

Contribution

It introduces a new 4000-fiber spectrograph for all-sky galaxy surveys, enhancing ground-based capabilities for dark energy research.

Findings

Expected DETF FoM comparable to JDEM missions

Provides unprecedented multi-object spectroscopic data

Enables U.S. community access to advanced instrumentation

Abstract

The BigBOSS experiment is a proposed DOE-NSF Stage IV ground-based dark energy experiment to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and the growth of structure with an all-sky galaxy redshift survey. The project is designed to unlock the mystery of dark energy using existing ground-based facilities operated by NOAO. A new 4000-fiber R=5000 spectrograph covering a 3-degree diameter field will measure BAO and redshift space distortions in the distribution of galaxies and hydrogen gas spanning redshifts from 0.2<z<3.5. The Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit (DETF FoM) for this experiment is expected to be equal to that of a JDEM mission for BAO with the lower risk and cost typical of a ground-based experiment. This project will enable an unprecedented multi-object spectroscopic capability for the U.S. community through an existing NOAO facility. The U.S. community would have access directly to this instrument/telescope combination, as well as access to the legacy archives that will be created by the BAO key project.