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The luminosity function of the CfA Redshift SurveyWe use the CfA Reshift Survey of galaxies with m(sub z) less than or equal to 15.5 to calculate the galaxy luminosity function over the range -13 less than or equal to M(sub z) less than or equal to -22. The sample includes 9063 galaxies distributed over 2.1 sr. For galaxies with velocities cz greater or equal to 2500 km per sec, where the effects of peculiar velocities are small, the luminosity function is well represented by a Schechter function with parameters phi(sub star) = 0.04 +/- 0.01 per cu Mpc, M(sub star) = -18.8 +/- 0.3, and alpha = -1.0 +/- 0.2. When we include all galaxies with cz greater or equal to 500 km per sec, the number of galaxies in the range -16 less than or equal to M(sub z) less than or equal to -13 exceeds the extrapolation of the Schechter function by a factor of 3.1 +/- 0.5. This faint-end excess is not caused by the local peculiar velocity field but may be partially explained by small scale errors in the Zwicky magnitudes. Even with a scale error as large as 0.2 mag per mag, which is unlikely, the excess is still a factor of 1.8 +/- 0.3. If real, this excess affects the interpretation of deep counts of field galaxies.
Document ID
19950048283
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Marzke, R. O.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA United States)
Huchra, J. P.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA United States)
Geller, M. J.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
June 10, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 428
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
95A79882
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGT-50819
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-201
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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