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Three-dimensional galaxy distribution for about 1/10 field of view of the RCS photometric redshift catalog

Image Credit: Gladders, Yee and Hsieh et al.

The figure represents the three-dimensional galaxy distribution for about 1/10 field of view of the RCS photometric redshift catalog (Hsieh et al. 2005, ApJS, 158, 161; Gladders and Yee 2005, ApJS, 157, 1) with the Earth at the origin. Each red dot indicate

In collaboration with the University of Toronto, we have carried out the Red-sequence Cluster Survey (RCS). With the huge photometric redshift catalog, we are able to provide a large sample of galaxies over a large look-back time to measure the luminosity function and its evolution for field galaxies. To study the evolution of the galaxy merging rate and to test the hierarchical model of galaxy evolution, we intend to search for close galaxy pairs in the field and in galaxy clusters. We are also using the catalog to find sub-structures (groups) in clusters, and to study the cluster population as a function of radius. The photometric redshift catalog provides accurate redshift distributions of lens galaxies and source galaxies, which are both very important for weak lensing analysis, ranging from galaxy-galaxy lensing to cosmic shear.