Anatomy of luminosity functions: the 2dFGRS example

2008/05/31 by Elmo Tempel, J. Einasto, Jaan Einasto +6
Environmental Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Biology #Brightest cluster galaxy #Elliptical galaxy #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy cluster #Galaxy group #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Impact of Light on Environment and Health #Luminosity #Luminosity function #Luminous infrared galaxy #Physics #Supercluster (genetic) #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200810274

15 pages, 19 figures, submitted to A&A

arxiv created 2008/10/15 · openalex publication_date 2009/01/14 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

<i>Aims. <i/> We use the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey to derive the luminosity function (LF) of the first-ranked (brightest) group/cluster galaxies, the LF of second-ranked, satellite, and isolated galaxies, and the LF of groups of galaxies.<i>Methods. <i/> We investigate the LFs of different samples in various environments: in voids, filaments, superclusters, and supercluster cores. We compare the derived LFs with the Schechter and double-power-law analytical expressions. We also analyse the luminosities of isolated galaxies.<i>Results. <i/> We find a strong environmental dependency by the luminosity functions of all populations. The luminosities of first-ranked galaxies have a lower limit, depending on the global environment (higher in supercluster cores and absent in voids). The LF of second-ranked galaxies in high-density regions is similar to the LF of first-ranked galaxies in a lower density environment. The brightest isolated galaxies can be identified with first-ranked galaxies at distances where the remaining galaxies lie outside the observational window used in the survey.<i>Conclusions. <i/> The galaxy and cluster LFs can be approximated by a double-power law. The widely used Schechter function does not describe the bright end and the bend of the LFs well. Properties of the LFs reflect differences in the evolution of galaxies and their groups in different environments.

Citations

• The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (Final Data Release)
• The Properties of Poor Groups of Galaxies. III. The Galaxy Luminosity Function
• Shapley Optical Survey - I. Luminosity functions in the supercluster environment
• The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: the number and luminosity density of galaxies
• Las Campanas Loose Groups in the supercluster-void network
• The Group Evolution Multiwavelength Study (GEMS): bimodal luminosity functions in galaxy groups
• Core condensation in heavy halos: a two-stage theory for galaxy formation and clustering
• An excursion set model of hierarchical clustering: ellipsoidal collapse and the moving barrier
• Toward Understanding Rich Superclusters
• Halo model at its best: constraints on conditional luminosity functions from measured galaxy statistics
• The evolution of the galaxy red sequence in simulated clusters and groups
• THE GALAXY CONTENT OF SDSS CLUSTERS AND GROUPS
• The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: the photometric accuracy, completeness and contamination of the 2dFGRS and SDSS-EDR/DR1 data sets
• Environmental enhancement of loose groups around rich clusters of galaxies
• On the Luminosity Function of Galaxies in Groups in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
• THE SUBHALO-SATELLITE CONNECTION AND THE FATE OF DISRUPTED SATELLITE GALAXIES
• On the Luminosity Dependence of the Galaxy Pairwise Velocity Dispersion
• The Luminosity Function of Void Galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
• A halo-based galaxy group finder: calibration and application to the 2dFGRS
• Linking early- and late-type galaxies to their dark matter haloes
• The group evolution multiwavelength study: the near-infrared luminosity function of nearby galaxy groups
• The non-parametric model for linking galaxy luminosity with halo/subhalo mass
• On the Mass‐to‐Light Ratio of Large‐Scale Structure
• Constraining galaxy formation and cosmology with the conditional luminosity function of galaxies
• Modelling peculiar velocities of dark matter haloes
• Properties of dark matter haloes in clusters, filaments, sheets and voids
• The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: power-spectrum analysis of the final data set and cosmological implications
• Spatial variations of the optical galaxy luminosity functions and red sequences in the Coma cluster: clues to its assembly history
• The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: the bJ-band galaxy luminosity function and survey selection function
• The structure of voids
• The supercluster–void network
• RASS-SDSS galaxy cluster survey