The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: single-probe measurements from DR12 galaxy clustering – towards an accurate model

We analyse the broad-range shape of the monopole and quadrupole correlation functions of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 12 (DR12) CMASS and LOWZ galaxy sample to obtain constraints on the Hubble expansion rate H(z), the angular-diameter distance D_A(z), the normalized growth rate f(z)σ_8(z) and the physical matter density Ω_m h^2. We adopt wide and flat priors on all model parameters in order to ensure the results are those of a ‘single-probe’ galaxy clustering analysis. We also marginalize over three nuisance terms that account for potential observational systematics affecting the measured monopole. However, such Monte Carlo Markov Chain analysis is computationally expensive for advanced theoretical models. We develop a new methodology to speed up the analysis. Using the range 40 h^−1 Mpc < s