An analytic expression for the luminosity function for galaxies
A new analytic approximation for the luminosity function for galaxies is proposed, which shows good agreement with both a luminosity distribution for bright nearby galaxies and a composite luminosity distribution for cluster galaxies. The analytic expression is proportional to L/sup -5///sup 4/e/sup -//sup L*/, where L* is a characteristic luminosity corresponding to a characteristic absolute magnitude M*/sub B0//sub -//sub 2//sub 0//sub .6/For an individual cluster, the characteristic magnitude may be determined with an accuracy of approx.0.25 mag, suggesting its use as a standard candle. The analytic expression is used to compute an expected richness-absolute magnitude correlation for first ranked cluster galaxies and an expected dispersion, which are compared with the data of Sandage and Hardy. (AIP)
- Research Organization:
- California Institute of Technology and the Institute for Advanced Study
- OSTI ID:
- 7285770
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 203:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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