Bright galaxies in rich clusters - Test of a statistical model for magnitude distributions

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (44) References (37) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Bright galaxies in rich clusters: test of a statistical model of magnitude distributions. Geller, M. J. ; Peebles, P. J. E. Abstract A statistical model for the magnitude distribution of bright galaxies in rich clusters is analyzed which is based on the hypothesis that the distribution of absolute magnitudes in a cluster is controlled by a universal statistical luminosity function. The normalization parameter is allowed to vary from cluster to cluster according to a power-law distribution in cluster mass in order to fit the distribution of clusters in Abell richness class. The model is tested by comparing predicted magnitude distributions with the observed distributions of magnitudes of first-, second-, and third-ranked cluster members compiled by Sandage and Hardy (1973). It is found that the frequency distributions of magnitudes for all three ranks are qualitatively consistent with the model predictions, that there may be a magnitude-richness correlation for the three ranks in richness classes 1 and 2 with z not greater than 0.1, and that an exponential distribution in the cluster mass parameter gives a reasonable fit to the Abell counts of rich clusters. Several discrepancies in the model predictions are examined. It is concluded that the present model is a reasonable and useful first approximation within the constraints of the observations. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1976 DOI: 10.1086/154458 Bibcode: 1976ApJ...206..939G Keywords: Astronomical Models; Galactic Clusters; Luminous Intensity; Mathematical Models; Statistical Analysis; Astronomical Photometry; Frequency Distribution; Galactic Radiation; Mass Distribution; Power Spectra; Probability Distribution Functions; Random Errors; Astrophysics full text sources ADS |