DESI Bright Galaxy Survey: Design and Validation

Over the next five years, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) will use a 5000-fiber spectrograph on the 4-meter Mayall Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory to realize the first Stage-IV Dark Energy galaxy survey. At z < 0.6, the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS) will produce the most detailed map of the Universe during the Dark Energy dominated epoch with >10 million galaxies spanning >9000 deg^2. In this talk, I will present the final target selection, design, and strategy of BGS. Furthermore, I will demonstrate using early observations conducted prior to the main survey that BGS will successfully complete its strategy and make optimal use of 'bright' time when the moon is above the horizon. Finally, I will discuss the extensive range of scientific applications that BGS will unlock. BGS will yield the most precise Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and Redshift-Space Distortions (RSD) measurements to probe Dark Energy at z < 0.4 to date. It also presents a unique opportunity to exploit new methods that require highly complete and dense galaxy samples, e.g. N-point statistics, multi-tracer RSD. BGS further provides a powerful tool to study galaxy populations including dwarf galaxies, galaxy groups and clusters, and the relations between galaxies and dark matter.