Using the photometric parallax method we estimate the distances to ∼48 million stars detected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and map their three-dimensional number density distribution in the Galaxy. The currently available data sample the distance range from 100 pc to 20 kpc and cover 6,500 deg 2 of sky, mostly at high galactic latitudes (|b| > 25). These stellar number density maps allow an investigation of the Galactic structure with no a priori assumptions about the functional form of its components. The data show strong evidence for a Galaxy consisting of an oblate halo, a disk component, and a number of localized overdensities. The number density distribution of stars as traced by M dwarfs in the Solar neighborhood (D < 2 kpc) is well fit by two exponential disks (the thin and thick disk) with scale heights and lengths, bias-corrected for an assumed 35% binary fraction, of H 1 = 300 pc and L 1 = 2600 pc, and H 2 = 900 pc and L 2 = 3600 pc, and local thick-tothin disk density normalization ρ thick (R ⊙ )/ρ thin (R ⊙ ) = 12%. We use the stars near main-sequence turnoff to measure the shape of the Galactic halo. We find a strong preference for oblate halo models, with best-fit axis ratio c/a = 0.64, ρ H ∝ r −2.8 power-law profile, and the local halo-to-thin disk normalization of 0.5%. Based on a series of Monte-Carlo simulations, we estimate the errors of derived model parameters not to be larger than ∼ 20% for the disk scales and ∼ 10% for the density normalization, with largest contributions to error coming from the uncertainty in calibration of the photometric parallax relation and poorly constrained binary fraction. While generally consistent with the above model, the measured density distribution shows a number of statistically significant localized deviations. In addition to known features, such as the Monoceros stream, we detect two overdensities in the thick disk region at cylindrical galactocentric radii and heights (R, Z) ∼ (6.5, 1.5) kpc and (R, Z) ∼ (9.5, 0.8) kpc, and a remarkable density enhancement in the halo covering over a thousand square degrees of sky towards the constellation of Virgo, at distances of ∼6-20 kpc. Compared to counts in a region symmetric with respect to the l = 0 • line and with the same Galactic latitude, the Virgo overdensity is responsible for a factor of 2 number density excess, and may be a nearby tidal stream or a low-surface brightness dwarf galaxy merging with the Milky Way. The u − g color distribution of stars associated with it implies metallicity lower than that of thick disk stars, and consistent with the halo metallicity distribution. After removal of the resolved overdensities, the remaining data are consistent with a smooth density distribution; we detect no evidence of further unresolved clumpy substructure at scales ranging from ∼ 50 pc in the disk, to ∼ 1 − 2 kpc in the halo.

We determine the number counts and z = 0-5 luminosity function for a well-defined, homogeneous sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We conservatively define the most uniform statistical sample possible, consisting of 15,343 quasars within an effective area of 1622 deg 2 that was derived from a parent sample of 46,420 spectroscopically confirmed broad-line quasars in the 5282 deg 2 of imaging data from SDSS Data Release Three. The sample extends from i = 15 to i = 19.1 at z 3 and to i = 20.2 for z 3. The number counts and luminosity function agree well with the results of the Two-Degree Field QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) at redshifts and luminosities where the SDSS and 2QZ quasar samples overlap, but the SDSS data probe to much higher redshifts than does the 2QZ sample. The number density of luminous quasars peaks between redshifts 2 and 3, although uncertainties in the selection function in this range do not allow us to determine the peak redshift more precisely. Our best fit model has a flatter bright end slope at high redshift than at low redshift. For z < 2.4 the data are best fit by a redshift-independent slope of β = −3.1 (Φ(L) ∝ L β ). Above z = 2.4 the slope flattens with redshift to β −2.37 at z = 5. This slope change, which is significant at the 5-sigma level, must be accounted for in models of the evolution of accretion onto supermassive black holes.

We present a catalog of galaxy clusters selected using the maxBCG red-sequence method from Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometric data. This catalog includes 13,823 clusters with velocity dispersions greater than %400 km s À1 and is the largest galaxy cluster catalog assembled to date. They are selected in an approximately volume-limited way from a 0.5 Gpc 3 region covering 7500 deg 2 of sky between redshifts 0.1 and 0.3. Each cluster contains between 10 and 190 E/S0 ridgeline galaxies brighter than 0.4L Ã within a scaled radius R 200 . The tight relation between ridgeline color and redshift provides an accurate photometric redshift estimate for every cluster. Photometric redshift errors are shown by comparison to spectroscopic redshifts to be small (Á z ' 0:01), essentially independent of redshift, and well determined throughout the redshift range. Runs of maxBCG on realistic mock catalogs suggest that the sample is more than 90% pure and more than 85% complete for clusters with masses !1 ; 10 14 M . Spectroscopic measurements of cluster members are used to examine line-of-sight projection as a contaminant in the identification of brightest cluster galaxies and cluster member galaxies. Spectroscopic data are also used to demonstrate the correlation between optical richness and velocity dispersion. Comparison to the combined NORAS and REFLEX X-rayYselected cluster catalogs shows that X-rayYluminous clusters are found among the optically richer maxBCG clusters. This paper is the first in a series that will consider the properties of these clusters, their galaxy populations, and their implications for cosmology.

In addition to optical photometry of unprecedented quality, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is producing a massive spectroscopic database which already contains over 280,000 stellar spectra. Using effective temperature and metallicity derived from SDSS spectra for ∼60,000 F and G type main sequence stars (0.2 < g − r < 0.6), we develop polynomial models, reminiscent of traditional methods based on the U BV photometry, for estimating these parameters from the SDSS u−g and g−r colors. These estimators reproduce SDSS spectroscopic parameters with a root-mean-square scatter of 100 K for effective temperature, and 0.2 dex for metallicity (limited by photometric errors), which are similar to random and systematic uncertainties in spectroscopic determinations. We apply this method to a photometric catalog of coadded SDSS observations and study the photometric metallicity distribution of ∼200,000 F and G type stars observed in 300 deg 2 of high Galactic latitude sky. These deeper (g < 20.5) and photometrically precise (∼0.01 mag) coadded data enable an accurate measurement of the unbiased metallicity distribution for a complete volume-limited sample of stars at distances between 500 pc and 8 kpc. The metallicity distribution can be exquisitely modeled using two components with a spatially varying number ratio, that correspond to disk and halo. The best-fit number ratio of the two components is consistent with that implied by the decomposition of stellar counts profiles into exponential disk and power-law halo components by Jurić et al. (2008). The two components also possess the kinematics expected for disk and halo stars. The metallicity of the halo component can be modeled as a spatially invariant Gaussian distribution with a mean of [F e/H] = −1.46 and a standard deviation of ∼0.3 dex. The disk metallicity distribution is non-Gaussian, with a remarkably small scatter (rms∼0.16 dex) and the median smoothly decreasing with distance from the plane from −0.6 at 500 pc to −0.8 beyond several kpc. Similarly, we find using proper motion measurements that a non-Gaussian rotational velocity distribution of disk stars shifts by ∼50 km/s as the distance from the plane increases from 500 pc to several kpc. Despite this similarity, the metallicity and rotational velocity distributions of disk stars are not correlated (Kendall's τ = 0.017 ± 0.018). This absence of a correlation between metallicity and kinematics for disk stars is in a conflict with the traditional decomposition in terms of thin and thick disks, which predicts a strong correlation (τ = −0.30 ± 0.04) at ∼1 kpc from the mid-plane. Instead, the variation of the metallicity and rotational velocity distributions can be modeled using non-Gaussian functions that retain their shapes and only shift as the distance from the mid-plane increases. We also study the metallicity distribution using a shallower (g < 19.5) but much larger sample of close to three million stars in 8500 sq. deg. of sky included in SDSS Data Release 6. The large sky coverage enables the detection of...

We present an algorithm to photometrically calibrate wide-field optical imaging surveys, which simultaneously solves for the calibration parameters and relative stellar fluxes using overlapping observations. The algorithm decouples the problem of ''relative'' calibrations from that of ''absolute'' calibrations; the absolute calibration is reduced to determining a few numbers for the entire survey. We pay special attention to the spatial structure of the calibration errors, allowing one to isolate particular error modes in downstream analyses. Applying this to the SDSS imaging data, we achieve $1% relative calibration errors across 8500 deg 2 in griz; the errors are $2% for the u band. These errors are dominated by unmodeled atmospheric variations at Apache Point Observatory. These calibrations, dubbed ''ubercalibration,'' are now public with SDSS Data Release 6 and will be a part of subsequent SDSS data releases.

We identify galaxy groups and clusters in volume-limited samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) redshift survey, using a redshift-space friends-of-friends algorithm. We optimize the friends-of-friends linking lengths to recover galaxy systems that occupy the same dark matter halos, using a set of mock catalogs created by populating halos of N-body simulations with galaxies. Extensive tests with these mock catalogs show that no combination of perpendicular and line-of-sight linking lengths is able to yield groups and clusters that simultaneously recover the true halo multiplicity function, projected size distribution, and velocity dispersion. We adopt a linking length combination that yields, for galaxy groups with 10 or more members: a group multiplicity function that is unbiased with respect to the true halo multiplicity function; an unbiased median relation between the multiplicities of groups and their associated halos; a spurious group fraction of less than $1%; a halo completeness of more than $97%; the correct projected size distribution as a function of multiplicity; and a velocity dispersion distribution that is $20% too low at all multiplicities. These results hold over a range of mock catalogs that use different input recipes of populating halos with galaxies. We apply our group-finding algorithm to the SDSS data and obtain three group and cluster catalogs for three volume-limited samples that cover 3495.1 deg 2 on the sky, go out to redshifts of 0.1, 0.068, and 0.045, and contain 57,138, 37,820, and 18,895 galaxies, respectively. We correct for incompleteness caused by fiber collisions and survey edges and obtain measurements of the group multiplicity function, with errors calculated from realistic mock catalogs. These multiplicity function measurements provide a key constraint on the relation between galaxy populations and dark matter halos.

We present a total of 4784 unique broad absorption line quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Third Data Release. An automated algorithm was used to match a continuum to each quasar and to identify regions of flux at least 10% below the continuum over a velocity range of at least 1000 km s −1 in the Civ and Mg ii absorption regions. The model continuum was selected as the best-fit match from a set of template quasar spectra binned in luminosity, emission line width, and redshift, with the power-law spectral index and amount of dust reddening as additional free parameters. We characterize our sample through the traditional "balnicity" index and a revised absorption index, as well as through parameters such as the width, outflow velocity, fractional depth and number of troughs. From a sample of 16883 quasars at 1.7 ≤ z ≤ 4.38, we identify 4386 (26.0%) quasars with broad Civ absorption, of which 1756 (10.4%) satisfy traditional selection criteria. From a sample of 34973 quasars at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 2.15, we identify 457 (1.31%) quasars with broad Mg ii absorption, 191 (0.55%) of which satisfy traditional selection criteria. We also provide a supplementary list of 39 visually identified z > 4.38 quasars with broad Civ absorption. We find

Abstract. We summarize the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data acquisition and processing steps, and describe runQA, a pipeline designed for automated data quality assessment. In particular, we show how the position of the stellar locus in color-color diagrams can be used to estimate the accuracy of photometric zeropoint calibration to better than 0.01 mag in 0.03 deg 2 patches. Using this method, we estimate that typical photometric zeropoint calibration errors for SDSS imaging data are not larger than ∼ 0.01 mag in the g, r, and i bands, 0.02 mag in the z band, and 0.03 mag in the u band (root-mean-scatter for zeropoint offsets).