Mock Quasar-Lyman-{\alpha} Forest Data-sets for the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

TL;DR

This paper presents the creation of detailed mock quasar-Lyman-alpha forest datasets for SDSS-III BOSS, enabling improved analysis of BAO signals and systematic checks in high-redshift quasar studies.

Contribution

The paper introduces realistic mock datasets that simulate high-redshift quasar spectra, including astrophysical and instrumental effects, for use in BAO analysis and systematic validation.

Findings

Mocks accurately reproduce key spectral characteristics

Useful for developing and validating BAO analysis methods

Facilitate systematic error checks in high-redshift quasar studies

Abstract

We describe mock data-sets generated to simulate the high-redshift quasar sample in Data Release 11 (DR11) of the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). The mock spectra contain Ly{\alpha} forest correlations useful for studying the 3D correlation function including Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). They also include astrophysical effects such as quasar continuum diversity and high-density absorbers, instrumental effects such as noise and spectral resolution, as well as imperfections introduced by the SDSS pipeline treatment of the raw data. The Ly{\alpha} forest BAO analysis of the BOSS collaboration, described in Delubac et al. 2014, has used these mock data-sets to develop and cross-check analysis procedures prior to performing the BAO analysis on real data, and for continued systematic cross checks. Tests presented here show that the simulations reproduce sufficiently well important characteristics of real spectra. These mock data-sets will be made available together with the data at the time of the Data Release 11.