The local space density of dwarf galaxies

We estimate the luminosity function of field galaxies over a range of ten magnitudes (-22 < M_{B_J} < -12 for H_0 = 100 km/s/Mpc) by counting the number of faint APM galaxies around Stromlo-APM redshift survey galaxies at known distance. The faint end of the luminosity function rises steeply at M_{B_J} \approx -15, implying that the space density of dwarf galaxies is at least two times larger than predicted by a Schechter function with flat faint-end slope. Such a high abundance of dwarf galaxies at low redshift can help explain the observed number counts and redshift distributions of faint galaxies without invoking exotic models for galaxy evolution.Comment: 20 pages, 5 included postscript figures, uses AAS LaTex macros. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. Two figures and associated discussion added; results and conclusions unchange

The Redshift Evolution of Clustering in the HDF

We present a correlation function analysis for the catalogue of photometric redshifts obtained from the Hubble Deep Field image by Fernandez-Soto et al., 1998. By dividing the catalogue into redshift bins of width $\Delta z=0.4$ we measured the angular correlation function $w(\theta)$ as a function of redshift up to $z\sim 4.8$. From these measurements we derive the trend of the correlation length $r_0$. We find that $r_0(z)$ is roughly constant with look-back time up to $z \simeq 2$, and then increases to higher values at z\simgt 2.4. We estimate the values of $r_0$, assuming $\xi(r,z)=(r/r_0(z))^{-\gamma}$, $\gamma=1.8$ and different geometries. For $\Omega_0=1$ we find $r_0(z=3)\simeq 7.00\pm 4.87 h^{-1}$ Mpc, in good agreement with the values obtained from analysis of the Lyman Break Galaxies.Comment: 6 pages, 4 postscript figures, version to appear on MNRA

Correlations in the Spatial Power Spectrum Inferred from Angular Clustering: Methods and Application to APM

We reconsider the inference of spatial power spectra from angular clustering data and show how to include correlations in both the angular correlation function and the spatial power spectrum. Inclusion of the full covariance matrices loosens the constraints on large-scale structure inferred from the APM survey by over a factor of two. We present a new inversion technique based on singular value decomposition that allows one to propagate the covariance matrix on the angular correlation function through to that of the spatial power spectrum and to reconstruct smooth power spectra without underestimating the errors. Within a parameter space of the CDM shape Gamma and the amplitude sigma_8, we find that the angular correlations in the APM survey constrain Gamma to be 0.19-0.37 at 68% confidence when fit to scales larger than k=0.2h Mpc^-1. A downturn in power at k<0.04h Mpc^-1 is significant at only 1-sigma. These results are optimistic as we include only Gaussian statistical errors and neglect any boundary effects.Comment: 37 pages, LaTex, 9 figures. Submitted to Ap

Theory of a Potential for Satellite Motion About a Triaxially Ellipsoidal Planet

Potential theory for satellite motion about triaxially ellipsoidal plane

Angular correlations of galaxy distribution

We study the angular correlations of various galaxy catalogs (CfA1, SSRS1, Perseus-Pisces, APM Bright Galaxies and Zwicky). We find that the angular correlation exponent is $\gamma_a= 0.1 \pm 0.1$ rather than $\gamma_a=0.7$ as usually found by the standard correlation function $\omega(\theta)$. We identify the problem in the artificial decay of $\omega(\theta)$. Moreover we find that no characteristic angular scale is present in any of the analyzed catalogs. Finally we show that all the available data are consistent with each other and the angular distribution of galaxies is quite naturally compatible with a fractal structure with $D \approx 2$.Comment: 16 pages, latex, 3 postscript figures. Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters. This paper is also available at http://www.phys.uniroma1.it/DOCS/PIL/pil.htm

Spectral Analysis of the Stromlo-APM Survey II. Galaxy luminosity function and clustering by spectral type

We study the luminosity function and clustering properties of subsamples of local galaxies selected from the Stromlo-APM survey by the rest-frame equivalent widths of their Halpha and Oii emission lines. The b_J luminosity function of star-forming galaxies has a significantly steeper faint-end slope than that for quiescent galaxies: the majority of sub-L* galaxies are currently undergoing significant star formation. Emission line galaxies are less strongly clustered, both amongst themselves, and with the general galaxy population, than quiescent galaxies. Thus as well as being less luminous, star-forming galaxies also inhabit lower-density regions of the Universe than quiescent galaxies.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, MNRAS, in pres

The APM Galaxy Survey III: An Analysis of Systematic Errors in the Angular Correlation Function and Cosmological Implications

We present measurements of the angular two-point galaxy correlation function, $w(theta)$, from the APM Galaxy Survey. The performance of various estimators of $w$ is assessed using simulated galaxy catalogues and analytic arguments. Several error analyses show that residual plate-to-plate errors do not bias our estimates of $w$ by more than $10^{-3}$. Direct comparison between our photometry and external CCD photometry of over 13,000 galaxies from the Las Campanas Deep Redshift Survey shows that the rms error in the APM plate zero points lies in the range 0.04-0.05 magnitudes, in agreement with our previous estimates. We estimate the effects on $w$ of atmospheric extinction and obscuration by dust in our Galaxy and conclude that these are negligible. We use our best estimates of the systematic errors in the survey to calculate corrected estimates of $w$. Deep redshift surveys are used to determine the selection function of the APM Galaxy Survey, and this is applied in Limber's equation to compute how $w$ scales as a function of limiting magnitude. Our estimates of $w$ are in excellent agreement with the scaling relation, providing further evidence that systematic errors in the APM survey are small. We explicitly remove large-scale structure by applying filters to the APM galaxy maps and conclude that there is still strong evidence for more clustering at large scales than predicted by the standard scale-invariant cold dark matter (CDM) model. We compare the APM $w$ and the three dimensional power spectrum derived by inverting $w$, with the predictions of scale-invariant CDM models. We show that the observations require $Gamma=Omega_0 h$ in the range 0.2-0.3 and are incompatible with the value $Gamma=0.5$ of the standard CDM model.Comment: 102 pages, plain TeX plus 41 postscript figures. Submitted to MNRA

The environments of intermediate-redshift QSOs: 0.3 < z < 0.7

An angular correlation of low significance (2 sigma) is observed between 0.3 < z < 0.5 QSOs and V < 23 galaxies. Overall, the cross-correlation function between 82 intermediate-redshift (0.3 < z < 0.7), X-ray selected QSOs and V < 24 galaxies is investigated, but no signal is detected for the z > 0.5 QSOs. After converting to an excess of galaxies physically associated with the QSO, this lack of strong correlation is shown to be consistent with the clustering of normal galaxies at the same moderate redshifts. Combined with previous observations, these results imply that the environments of radio-quiet QSOs do not undergo significant evolution with respect to the galaxy population over a wide range of redshifts (0 < z < 1.5). This is in marked contrast to the rapid increase in the richness of the environments associated with radio-loud QSOs over the same redshift range.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, MNRAS TeX macro, to appear to MNRA