The LBDS Hercules sample of mJy radio sources at 1.4 GHz - II. Redshift distribution, radio luminosity function, and the high-redshift cut-off

{Abridged} A combination of spectroscopy and broadband photometric redshifts has been used to find the complete redshift distribution of the Hercules sample of millijansky radio sources. These data have been used to examine the evolution of the radio luminosity function (RLF) and its high-redshift cut-off. New redshifts have been measured for eleven sources, and a further ten upper limits are given. The total number of sources with known redshifts in the sample is now 47 (65%). We calculated broadband photometric redshifts for the remaining one-third of the sample. For the luminosity range probed by the present study (P_1.4 > 10^24.5 W/Hz/sr), we use the V/V_max test to show conclusively that there is a deficit of high-redshift (z > 2-2.5) objects. Comparison with the model RLFs of Dunlop & Peacock (1990) shows that our data can now exclude pure luminosity evolution. Two of the models of DP90, and the RLF deduced by direct binning of the data, both favour a luminosity dependence for the high-redshift cut-off, with lower-luminosity sources (P_1.4 \simeq 10^24 W/Hz/sr) in decline by z \simeq 1-1.5 while higher-luminosity sources (P_1.4 \simeq 10^{25-26} W/Hz/sr) decline in comoving number density beyond z \simeq 2-2.5.Comment: Revised version submitted to MNRAS. 16 pages, 12 figure

The Evolving Faint-End of the Luminosity Function

We investigate the evolution of the faint-end slope of the luminosity function, $\alpha$, using semi-analytical modeling of galaxy formation. In agreement with observations, we find that the slope can be fitted well by $\alpha (z) =a+b z$, with a=-1.13 and b=-0.1. The main driver for the evolution in $\alpha$ is the evolution in the underlying dark matter mass function. Sub-L_* galaxies reside in dark matter halos that occupy a different part of the mass function. At high redshifts, this part of the mass function is steeper than at low redshifts and hence $\alpha$ is steeper. Supernova feedback in general causes the same relative flattening with respect to the dark matter mass function. The faint-end slope at low redshifts is dominated by field galaxies and at high redshifts by cluster galaxies. The evolution of $\alpha(z)$ in each of these environments is different, with field galaxies having a slope b=-0.14 and cluster galaxies b=-0.05. The transition from cluster-dominated to field-dominated faint-end slope occurs roughly at a redshift $z_* \sim 2$, and suggests that a single linear fit to the overall evolution of $\alpha(z)$ might not be appropriate. Furthermore, this result indicates that tidal disruption of dwarf galaxies in clusters cannot play a significant role in explaining the evolution of $\alpha(z)$ at z< z_*. In addition we find that different star formation efficiencies a_* in the Schmidt-Kennicutt-law and supernovae-feedback efficiencies $\epsilon$ generally do not strongly influence the evolution of $\alpha(z)$.Comment: 4 pages, replaced with version accepted to ApJL, minor changes to figure

Candidates of z ~ 5.5--7 Galaxies in the HST Ultra Deep Field

We report results from our $z\simeq 5.5$--7 galaxy search in the HST Ultra Deep Field (UDF). Using the 400-orbit of ACS data, we found 108 plausible $5.5\leq z\leq 6.5$ (or $z\simeq 6$ for short) candidates to $m_{AB}(z_{850})=30.0$ mag. The contamination to the sample, either due to image artifacts or known types of astronomical objects, is likely negligible. The inferred surface densities of $z\simeq 6$ galaxies are consistent with our earlier predictions from $m_{AB}(z_{850})=26.5$ to 28.5 mag. After correcting for detection incompleteness, the counts of $z\simeq 6$ candidates to $m_{AB}(z_{850})=29.2$ mag suggests that the faint-end slope of the galaxy luminosity function (LF) at this redshift is likely between $\alpha=-1.8$ and -1.9, which is sufficient to account for the entire Lyman photon budget necessary to complete the reionization of the universe at $z\simeq 6$. We also searched for $z\simeq 6.5$--7 candidates using the UDF NICMOS data, and have found four candidates to $J_{110}=27.2$ mag. However, the infrared colors of three candidates cannot be easily explained by galaxies in this redshift range. We tentatively derive an upper limit to the cumulative surface density of galaxies at $z\simeq 7$ of 0.36 per arcmin$^2$ to $J_{110}=26.6$ mag, which suggest a noticeable drop in the LF amplitude from $z\simeq 6$ to $z\simeq 7$.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJL (submitted March 17 2004, accepted July 20 2004

The Contribution of Late-type/Irregulars to the Faint Galaxy Counts from HST Medium Deep Survey Images

We present a complete morphologically classified sample of 144 faint field galaxies from the HST Medium Deep Survey with 20.0 < I <22.0 mag. We compare the global properties of the ellipticals, early and late-type spirals, and find a non-negligible fraction (13/144) of compact blue [(V-I) < 1.0 mag] systems with $r^{1/4}$-profiles. We give the differential galaxy number counts for ellipticals and early-type spirals independently, and find that the data are consistent with no-evolution predictions based on conventional flat Schechter luminosity functions (LF's) and a standard cosmology. Conversely, late-type/Irregulars show a steeply rising differential number count with slope $(\frac{\delta log N}{\delta m}) = 0.64\pm 0.1$. No-evolution models based on the Loveday et al. (1992) and Marzke et al. (1994b) {\it local} luminosity functions under-predict the late-type/Irregular counts by 1.0 and 0.5 dex, respectively, at I = 21.75 mag. Examination of the Irregulars alone shows that $\sim 50$% appear inert and the remainder have multiple cores. If the inert galaxies represent a non-evolving late-type population, then a Loveday-like LF ($\alpha\simeq -1.0$) is ruled out for these types, and a LF with a steep faint-end ($\alpha\simeq -1.5$) is suggested. If multiple core structure indicates recent star-formation, then the observed excess of faint blue field galaxies is likely due to {\it evolutionary} processes acting on a {\it steep} field LF for late-type/Irregulars. The evolutionary mechanism is unclear, but 60% of the multiple-core Irregulars show close companions. To reconcile a Marzke-like LF with the faint redshift surveys, this evolution must be preferentially occurring in the brightest late-type galaxies with z > 0.5 at I = 21.75 mag.Comment: 29 pages, 1 catalog and 10 figures. The figures and catalog can be found at http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~spd/bib.htm