Overview
This project investigates systematic uncertainties in distance measurements derived from the Tully-Fisher relation, a key tool used in large-scale galaxy surveys such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). The analysis focuses on the impact of potential misalignments between photometric and kinematic position angles in spiral galaxies, which may introduce non-negligible biases in distance estimates.
Research Focus
- Evaluate the accuracy of photometric-based position angles used in DESI fibre placements.
- Use integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data to extract kinematic properties of nearby galaxies.
- Compare distances derived using photometric vs. kinematic Tully-Fisher parameters.
- Quantify systematic biases and identify galaxy subsets where photometric assumptions break down.
Data & Methodology
The sample includes over 200 nearby galaxies observed with IFS instruments such as MUSE and PMAS. Kinematic maps were constructed to determine rotation curves and position angles, and were compared with photometric parameters from the Siena Galaxy Atlas and HostPhot catalogs. Distance biases were calculated by projecting Tully-Fisher relations under both parameter sets.
Note
This research is part of my M.S. thesis work and the manuscript is currently in preparation. More detailed figures, methodology, and results will be shared once the paper is submitted and publicly available.
Keywords
Spiral galaxies, photometric vs. kinematic axes, Tully-Fisher relation, DESI, distance bias, integral field spectroscopy