The clustering of Lyman Alpha Emitting galaxies at z=2-3

TL;DR

This study measures the clustering of Lyman Alpha Emitting galaxies at redshifts 2-3 using a large survey and spectroscopic data, providing insights into their distribution and potential for cosmological studies.

Contribution

It presents the first clustering measurements of LAEs at z=2-3 from a large survey, using mock catalogs to infer cosmological parameters and bias.

Findings

Correlation length of 3.0 Mpc/h for LAEs

Bias factors of 1.7 and 2.0 at z=2.45 and 3.1

Number densities around 10^{-3} h^3/Mpc^3

Abstract

We measure the clustering of Lyman Alpha Emitting galaxies (LAEs) selected from the One-hundred-square-degree DECam Imaging in Narrowbands (ODIN) survey, with spectroscopic follow-up from Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We use DESI spectroscopy to optimize our selection and to constrain the interloper fraction and redshift distribution of our narrow-band selected sources. We select samples of 4000 LAEs at z=2.45 and 3.1 in 9 sq.deg. centered on the COSMOS field with median LyA fluxes of 10^{-16}erg/s/cm2. Covariances and cosmological inferences are obtained from a series of mock catalogs built upon high-resolution N-body simulations that match the footprint, number density, redshift distribution and observed clustering of the sample. We find that both samples have a correlation length of r_0=(3.0\pm 0.2)Mpc/h. Within our fiducial cosmology these correspond to 3D number densities of 10^{-3} h^3/Mpc^3 and, from our mock catalogs, biases of 1.7 and 2.0 at z=2.45 and 3.1, respectively. We discuss the implications of these measurements for the use of LAEs as large-scale structure tracers for high-redshift cosmology.