From Simulations to Surveys - Building Realistic Mock Catalogs for Galaxies and the CMB

Learn to construct realistic mock catalogs that bridge the gap between theoretical simulations and observational surveys in this 47-minute conference talk from the 2025 Simons Collaboration on Learning the Universe Annual Meeting. Explore advanced techniques for creating synthetic galaxy catalogs and cosmic microwave background (CMB) data that accurately represent the complexities observed in real astronomical surveys. Discover how to translate numerical simulations into observationally realistic datasets, understand the challenges of matching simulation outputs to survey characteristics, and examine methods for incorporating observational effects, selection functions, and instrumental limitations into mock catalogs. Gain insights into the critical role these synthetic datasets play in validating theoretical models, testing analysis pipelines, and preparing for upcoming large-scale cosmological surveys.