List of galaxy redshift surveys

Galaxy redshift surveys aim to provide fundamental data on galaxies and the distribution of galaxies. The criteria for this list is: (1) a field survey, i.e., no specific structure is targeted; (2) spectroscopic redshifts obtained with resolving power > 100; (3) well defined selection criteria with magnitude limits from optical to near-IR, i.e., predominantly stellar light, quasar surveys are not included; (4) more than 5000 galaxy redshifts obtained.

Optical to near-infrared surveys listed in alphabetical order:

• AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES): completed 18000 redshifts (galaxy targets) over 7.7 sq.deg., various selections including R < 20.0 and B_W < 21.3; links AGES web site, survey paper (2012).
• Arizona CDFS Environment Survey (ACES): completed 5080 redshifts over 0.25 sq. deg., R < 24.1; link survey paper (2012).
• CfA2 Redshift Survey: completed 18000 redshifts over 17000 sq.deg., B < 15.5; links CfA web site, related paper (1999).
• CNOC2 Field Galaxy Redshift Survey: completed 6000 redshifts over 1.5 sq.deg., R < 21.5; links CNOC2 web site, survey paper (2000).
• Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) surveys, link: web site. Various surveys:
  • DESI Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS): aims for 8 million redshifts over 10000 sq. deg.
  • DESI Luminous Red Galaxy (LRG) sample: aims for 8.4 million redshifts over 14000 sq. deg.
  • DESI Emission Line Galaxy (ELG) sample: aims for 33 million redshifts over 14000 sq. deg.
• DEEP2 Redshift Survey: completed 38000 redshifts over 2.8 sq.deg., R_AB < 24.1 with color selection; links DEEP2 web site, survey paper (2003).
• Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS): aims for 60000 redshifts over 6 sq.deg., Y < 21.2; link survey paper (2018)
• DEIMOS 10K Spectroscopic Survey Catalog of the COSMOS Field: completed 8500 redshifts over 2 sq. deg.; link survey paper (2018).
• Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) redshift survey: completed 256000 redshifts over 285 sq.deg., r < 19.8 and other limits in z and K; links GAMA web site, survey paper (2010). survey paper (2022).
• Las Campanas Redshift Survey (LCRS): completed 26000 redshifts over 700 sq.deg., R < 17.5 nominal; links LCRS web site, survey paper (1996).
• Millennium Galaxy Catalogue (MGC): completed 10000 redshifts over 37.5 sq.deg., B < 20.0; links MGC web site, survey paper (2003).
• 6dF Galaxy Survey (6dFGS): completed 125000 redshifts over 17000 sq.deg., K < 12.75 and other limits in BRIJH; links 6dFGS web site, survey paper (2009).
• Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS): links SDSS web site, survey paper (2000), EDR paper (2002). Various spectroscopic surveys:
  • Main Galaxy Sample (SDSS-MAIN): completed 700000 redshifts over 8000 sq.deg., r < 17.77; link Main Galaxy Sample paper (2002).
  • Luminous Red Galaxies (SDSS-LRG): completed 100000 redshifts over 8000 sq.deg., r < 19.5 with color selection; link LRG paper (2001).
  • Stripe 82 galaxy surveys (SDSS-S82): completed about 70000 redshifts over 275 sq.deg., heterogeneous selection includes a u < 20.5 sample with color selection and various r < 19.5 samples; links SDSS DR4 paper (2006), u-band Galaxy Survey paper (2005).
• Smithsonian Hectospec Lensing Survey (SHELS): completed 20700 redshifts over 8 sq.deg., R < 20.6; link survey paper (2016).
• Southern Sky Redshift Survey (SSRS2): completed 5400 redshifts over 5500 sq.deg., B < 15.5; link survey paper (1998).
• 3D-HST survey: completed 18900 redshifts over 0.25 sq. deg., slitless spectroscopy, JH < 24.0; link survey paper (2016).
• 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS): completed 220000 redshifts over 1500 sq.deg., b_J < 19.45 nominal; links 2dFGRS web site, survey paper (2001), final release paper (2003).
• 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO (2SLAQ) Luminous Red Galaxy Survey: completed 13000 redshifts over 180 sq.deg., i < 19.8 with color selection; links 2SLAQ web site, LRG survey paper (2006).
• 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS): completed 43500 redshifts over 37000 sq.deg., K < 12.2; links 2MRS web site, survey paper (2012).
• VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS): completed 90000 redshifts over 24 sq.deg., I_AB < 22.5 with color selection; link VIPERS web site.
• VIMOS VLT Deep Survey (VVDS): links VVDS web site, survey paper (2005). Three main spectroscopic surveys:
  • VVDS-wide: completed 35000 redshifts over 12 sq.deg., I_AB < 22.5; link VVDS wide survey paper (2008).
  • VVDS-deep: completed 12000 redshifts over 0.5 sq.deg., I_AB < 24.0.
  • VVDS-ultradeep: completed 1000 redshifts over 0.17 sq.deg., I_AB < 24.75.
• VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS): aims for 10000 redshifts over 1 sq. deg., i < 27; link: survey paper (2015).
• zCOSMOS: links zCOSMOS web site, survey paper (2007). Two main spectroscopic surveys.
  • zCOSMOS-bright: completed 20000 redshifts over 1.7 sq.deg., I_AB < 22.5.
  • zCOSMOS-deep: aims for 10000 redshifts over 1.0 sq.deg., I_AB < 24.0 nominal with color selection.

Surveys with other wavelength selections:

• QMC-Cambridge-Durham (QCD) Redshift Survey: completed 2800 redshifts over 34000 sq.deg., 60 micron flux > 0.6 Jansky (subset of PSCz); link survey paper (1990).
• IRAS PSCz Redshift Survey: completed 15000 redshifts over 34000 sq.deg., 60 micron flux > 0.6 Jansky; link survey paper (2000).
• WiggleZ: completed 250000 redshifts over 1000 sq.deg., GALEX NUV < 22.8 with color selection (FUV - NUV > 1.5 & 20.5 < r < 22.5); links WiggleZ web site, survey paper (2008).

Other shallow/intermediate-depth surveys (less than 5000):

• Anglo-Australian Redshift Survey (AARS): completed 330 redshifts over 70 sq.deg, b_J < 17.0; link survey paper (1986).
• Autofib Redshift Survey: completed 1000 redshifts over 5.5 sq.deg., b_J < 22.0; link survey paper (1996).
• CfA Redshift Survey: completed 2400 redshifts over 9000 sq.deg., B < 14.5 (subset of CfA2); link survey paper (1982).
• Durham-UKST Redshift Survey (DURS): completed 2500 redshifts over 1500 sq.deg., b_J < 17.0; links DURS web site, survey paper (1996).
• ESO Slice Project (ESP): completed 3300 redshifts over 23 sq.deg., b_J < 19.4; links ESP web site, survey paper (1997).
• Hawaii+AAO (H-AAO) K-Band Redshift Survey: completed 1050 redshifts over 8.2 sq.deg., K<15.0; link survey paper (2003).
• Kitt Peak Galaxy Redshift Survey (KPGRS): completed 328 redshifts over 1.3 sq.deg., R_F < 19.0; link survey paper (1997).
• Stromlo-APM (SAPM) Redshift Survey: completed 1800 redshifts over 4300 sq.deg., b_J < 17.15 (only 1 in 20 sampling); links SAPM web site, survey paper (1992).

Other deep surveys:

• Canada-France Redshift Survey (CFRS): completed 700 redshifts over 0.14 sq.deg., I_AB < 22.5; links CFRS web site, survey paper (1995).
• DEEP Groth Strip Galaxy Redshift Survey: completed 658 redshifts over 0.03 sq. deg., V < 24; link survey paper (2005).
• FORS Deep Field (FDF) spectroscopic survey: completed 341 redshifts over 0.014 sq. deg., I < 25 nominal; link survey paper (2004).
• Gemini Deep Deep Survey (GDDS): completed 225 redshifts over 0.03 sq.deg., K < 20.6 & I < 24.5 with color selection; links GDDS web site, survey paper (2004).
• K20 survey: completed 500 redshifts over 0.014 sq.deg., K < 20.0; links K20 web site, survey paper (2005).
• Lyman Break Galaxies at z ~ 3 (LBG-z3) survey with the Keck telescopes: completed 940 redshifts over 0.38 sq.deg., R_AB < 25.5 with color selection; link survey paper (2003).
• MUNICS spectroscopic sample: completed 500 redshifts over 0.17 sq.deg., K < 17.5 (0.03 sq.deg. to K < 19.0); links MUNICS web site, related paper (2003).
• Team Keck Redshift Survey (TKRS): completed 1440 redshifts over 0.04 sq.deg., R_AB < 24.4; link survey paper (2004).
• VANDELS: completed 2087 redshifts over 0.2 sq. deg., i < 25; link: survey paper (2021).

Compilations of redshifts:

• COSMOS spectroscopic redshift catalog;
• HELP spectroscopic redshift catalogue;
• HSC Subaru Strategic Program.

One way to parametrically compare these surveys that use a variety of selection wavelengths is a plot of the sky density of galaxy redshifts obtained (depth) versus area. This is shown in the Figure below.

Comparison between galaxy redshift surveys: squares represent predominantly magnitude-limited surveys; circles represent surveys involving colour cuts for photometric redshift selection; while triangles represent highly targeted surveys. Filled symbols show completed surveys. Surveys are colour coded according to selection wavelength. The dotted lines correspond to surveys of 1000, 104, 105, 106 and 107 galaxies.

Page created by Ivan K. Baldry, Liverpool JMU. Comments and corrections on this page are welcome, please send me an email.

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