Validating the methodology for constraining the linear growth rate from clustering anisotropies

Redshift-space clustering distortions provide one of the most powerful probes to test the gravity theory on the largest cosmological scales. We perform a systematic validation study of the state-of-the-art statistical methods currently used to constrain the linear growth rate from redshift-space distortions in the galaxy two-point correlation function. The numerical pipelines are tested on mock halo catalogues extracted from large N-body simulations of the standard cosmological framework. We consider both the monopole and quadrupole multipole moments of the redshift-space two-point correlation function, as well as the radial and transverse clustering wedges, in the comoving scale range 10 < r[h(-1) Mpc] < 55. Moreover, we investigate the impact of redshift measurement errors on the growth rate and linear bias measurements due to the assumptions in the redshift-space distortion model. Considering both the dispersion model and two widely used models based on perturbation theory, we find that the linear growth rate is underestimated by about 5-10 per cent at z < 1, while limiting the analysis at larger scales, r > 30 h(-1) Mpc, the discrepancy is reduced below 5 per cent. At higher redshifts, we find instead an overall good agreement between measurements and model predictions. Though this accuracy is good enough for clustering analyses in current redshift surveys, the models have to be further improved not to introduce significant systematics in RSD constraints from next-generation galaxy surveys. The effect of redshift errors is degenerate with the one of small-scale random motions, and can be marginalized over in the statistical analysis, not introducing any statistically significant bias in the linear growth constraints, especially at z >= 1.