A comparison of estimators for the two-point correlation function

Nine of the most important estimators known for the two-point correlation function are compared using a predetermined, rigorous criterion. The indicators were extracted from over 500 subsamples of the Virgo Hubble volume simulation cluster catalog. The "real" correlation function was determined from the full survey in a 3000 h(-1) Mpc periodic cube, The estimators were ranked by the cumulative probability of returning a value within a certain tolerance of the real correlation function. This criterion takes into account bias and variance, and it is independent of the possibly non-Gaussian nature of the error statistics. As a result, for astrophysical applications, a clear recommendation has emerged: the Landy & Szalay estimator, in its original or grid version (Szapudi & Szalay), is preferred in comparison with the other indicators examined, with a performance almost indistinguishable from the Hamilton estimator.