Dark Energy Survey Year 3 Results: Photometric Data Set for Cosmology

We describe the Dark Energy Survey (DES) photometric data set assembled from the first three years of science operations to support DES Year 3 cosmologic analyses, and provide usage notes aimed at the broad astrophysics community. improves on previous releases from DES, , and Data Release 1 (DES DR1), presenting an expanded and curated data set that incorporates algorithmic developments in image detrending and processing, photometric calibration, and object classification. comprises nearly 5000 deg of imaging in the south Galactic cap, including nearly 390 million objects, with depth reaching a signal-to-noise ratio ∼10 for extended objects up to ∼ 23.0, and top-of-the-atmosphere photometric uniformity <3 mmag. Compared to DR1, photometric residuals with respect to Gaia are reduced by 50%, and per-object chromatic corrections are introduced. augments DES DR1 with simultaneous fits to multi-epoch photometry for more robust galactic color measurements and corresponding photometric redshift estimates. features improved morphological star–galaxy classification with efficiency >98% and purity >99% for galaxies with 19 < < 22.5. Additionally, it includes per-object quality information, and accompanying maps of the footprint coverage, masked regions, imaging depth, survey conditions, and astrophysical foregrounds that are used to select the cosmologic analysis samples.

Duke Scholars

Author Michael A. Troxel Physics