Pure luminosity evolution models for faint field galaxy samples

Abstract

We have examined a set of pure luminosity evolution (PLE) models in order to explore up to what extent the rapidly increasing observational constraints from faint galaxy samples can be understood in this simple framework. We find that a PLE model, in which galaxies evolve mildly in time even in the rest frame UV, can reproduce most of the observed properties of faint galaxies assuming an open ($\Omega\sim0$) universe. In particular, such a model is able to fit reasonably well the number counts in the $U,~b_j,~r_f,~I$, and $K$ bands, as well as the colour and redshift distributions derived from most of the existing samples. The most significant discrepancy between the predictions of this model and the data is the $z$ distribution of faint $K$-selected galaxies. Significantly worse fits are obtained with PLE models for the theoretically attractive value of $\Omega = 1$, although a simple number luminosity evolution model with a significant amount of merger events fits the data also in this cosmology.