Environmental effects on the Coma cluster luminosity function

C. Lobo, A. Biviano, F. Durret, D. Gerbal, O. Le Fèvre, A. Mazure, E. Slezak

Resumo
Using our catalogue of V_26.5 isophotal magnitudes for 6756 galaxies in a region covering 60x25arcmin² in the center of the Coma cluster, plus 267 galaxies in a region of 9.7x9.4arcmin² around NGC 4839, we derive the luminosity function in the magnitude range 13.5 < V_26.5 ≤ 21.0 (corresponding to the absolute magnitude range -22.24 < M_V26.5 ≤ -14.74). The luminosity function for this region is well fitted by the combination of a gaussian in its bright part and of a steep Schechter function (of index α = -1.8) in its faint part. Luminosity functions derived for individual regions surrounding the brightest galaxies show less steep slopes, strongly suggesting the existence of environmental effects. The implications of such effects on galaxy formation scenarios are discussed.

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume 317, Página 385
janeiro 1997

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