Likelihood Paper

SDSS-III Publication 33: A Simple Likelihood Estimator for Quasar Target Selection

Authors: Jessica A. Kirkpatrick (corresponding author)
David J. Schlegel, Nicholas P. Ross, Adam D. Myers, Joseph F. Hennawi

Abstract:
We present a new method for quasar target selection using a likelihood estimator. For our purposes we target quasars using Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometry to a magnitude limit of g=22. The efficiency and completeness of this technique is measured using Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Commissioning Data, taken in late 2009. This technique was used as the CORE method for target selection for BOSS Year 1 spectroscopy to be realized in the 9th SDSS data release (DR9). When targeting at a density of 40 objects/deg² we find the efficiency of this technique to be 41% and the completeness compared to all quasars identified in BOSS Commissioning Data to be 62%. This paper also describes possible extensions and improvements for this technique.

Comments:
SDSS-III participants have three weeks to send comments and to request changes. Participants comments should be sent to the Jessica Kirkpatrick.
The deadline to submit comments is Wednesday, April 6th 2011.

This is a BOSS science paper intended for submission to the Astrophysical Journal.

Downloads:
The most up to date .pdf of the paper can be found here:
likelihood paper (current) this version will be updated as I receive comments during the next three weeks.

The version of the paper submitted to the collaboration (3/16) is here:
likelihood collaboration submission

There is also a single column, double spaced version here (for easier editing):
likelihood paper one column

The .tex files and all associated figures, can be checked-out from the SVN at this location:
svn co svn+ssh://sdss3svn@sdss3.org/repo/boss/bosstarget/trunk/tex/likelihood/

Or downloaded here on the SDSS3 wiki.