Cluster Galaxy Luminosity Function Research Articles

The Optical Properties of Galaxy Cluster Abell 2319

The optical photometric and spectroscopic investigations of the massive and merging galaxy cluster Abell 2319 (A2319) are presented here. RTT150 telescope of TÜBİTAK, Antalya, Türkiye used CCD imaging and spectroscopic observations. In this paper, 110 galaxies were determined in A2319 and defined as the magnitudes of the Bessel B and R filters in each cluster member galaxy. Spectral observations were done of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and six additional brilliant galaxies. We estimated the Luminosity Function (LF) of galaxies for each filter. The resulting LF of cluster galaxies for each filter is well-fitted by the Double Schechter function. The best-fit parameter values derived as the characteristic absolute magnitudes are -21.08 ± 0.03, and -20.84 ± 0.01, -21.43 ± 0.02, and -20.54 ± 0.02, and the slopes at the faint end of the LF were -1.34 ± 0.04 and -1.12 ± 0.03, -1.47 ± 0.05 and -1.18 ± 0.03 for B and R filters, respectively.

Galaxies in X-ray selected clusters and groups in Dark Energy Survey data – II. Hierarchical Bayesian modelling of the red-sequence galaxy luminosity function

Abstract Using ∼100 X-ray selected clusters in the Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data, we constrain the luminosity function (LF) of cluster red-sequence galaxies as a function of redshift. This is the first homogeneous optical/X-ray sample large enough to constrain the evolution of the LF simultaneously in redshift (0.1 < z < 1.05) and cluster mass ($13.5 \le \rm {log_{10}}(M_{200crit}) \sim \lt 15.0$). We pay particular attention to completeness issues and the detection limit of the galaxy sample. We then apply a hierarchical Bayesian model to fit the cluster galaxy LFs via a Schechter function, including its characteristic break (m*) to a faint end power-law slope (α). Our method enables us to avoid known issues in similar analyses based on stacking or binning the clusters. We find weak and statistically insignificant (∼1.9σ) evolution in the faint end slope α versus redshift. We also find no dependence in α or m* with the X-ray inferred cluster masses. However, the amplitude of the LF as a function of cluster mass is constrained to ${\sim } 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ precision. As a by-product of our algorithm, we utilize the correlation between the LF and cluster mass to provide an improved estimate of the individual cluster masses as well as the scatter in true mass given the X-ray inferred masses. This technique can be applied to a larger sample of X-ray or optically selected clusters from the Dark Energy Survey, significantly improving the sensitivity of the analysis.

The submillimetre view of massive clusters at z ∼ 0.8–1.6

We analyse 850um continuum observations of eight massive X-ray detected galaxy clusters at z~0.8-1.6 taken with SCUBA-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. We find an average overdensity of 850um-selected sources of a factor of 4+/-2 per cluster within the central 1Mpc compared to the field. We investigate the multiwavelength properties of these sources and identify 34 infrared counterparts to 26 SCUBA-2 sources. Their colours suggest that the majority of these counterparts are probable cluster members. We use the multi-wavelength far-infrared photometry to measure the total luminosities and total cluster star-formation rates demonstrating that they are roughly three orders of magnitude higher than local clusters. We predict the H-band luminosities of the descendants of our cluster submillimetre galaxies and find that their stellar luminosity distribution is consistent with that of passive elliptical galaxies in z~0 clusters. Together, the faded descendants of the passive cluster population already in place at z~1 and the cluster submillimetre galaxies are able to account for the total luminosity function of early-type cluster galaxies at z~0. This suggests that the majority of the luminous passive population in z~0 clusters are likely to have formed at z>>1 through an extreme, dust-obscured starburst event.

The XXL Survey

Context. The luminosity function (LF) is a powerful statistical tool used to describe galaxies and learn about their evolution. In particular, the LFs of galaxies inside clusters allow us to better understand how galaxies evolve in these dense environments. Knowledge of the LFs of galaxies in clusters is also crucial for clusters studies in the optical and near-infrared (NIR) as they encode, along with their density profiles, most of their observational properties. However, no consensus has been reached yet about the evolution of the cluster galaxy LF with halo mass and redshift. Aims. The main goal of this study is to investigate the LF of a sample of 142 X-ray selected clusters, with spectroscopic redshift confirmation and a well defined selection function, spanning a wide redshift and mass range, and to test the LF dependence on cluster global properties, in a homogeneous and unbiased way. Methods. Our study is based on the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey (CFHTLS) photometric galaxy catalogue, associated with photometric redshifts. We constructed LFs inside a scaled radius using a selection in photometric redshift around the cluster spectroscopic redshift in order to reduce projection effects. The width of the photometric redshift selection was carefully determined to avoid biasing the LF and depended on both the cluster redshift and the galaxy magnitudes. The purity was then enhanced by applying a precise background subtraction. We constructed composite luminosity functions (CLFs) by stacking the individual LFs and studied their evolution with redshift and richness, analysing separately the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and non-BCG members. We fitted the dependences of the CLFs and BCG distributions parameters with redshift and richness conjointly in order to distinguish between these two effects. Results. We find that the usual photometric redshift selection methods can bias the LF estimate if the redshift and magnitude dependence of the photometric redshift quality is not taken into account. Our main findings concerning the evolution of the galaxy luminosity distribution with redshift and richness are that, in the inner region of clusters and in the redshift-mass range we probe (about 0 < z < 1 and 1013 M⊙ < M500 < 5 × 1014 M⊙), the bright part of the LF (BCG excluded) does not depend much on mass or redshift except for its amplitude, whereas the BCG luminosity increases both with redshift and richness.

The optical properties of galaxies in the Ophiuchus cluster

Context. Ophiuchus is one of the most massive clusters known, but due to its low Galactic latitude its optical properties remain poorly known. Aims. We investigate the optical properties of Ophiuchus to obtain clues on the formation epoch of this cluster, and compare them to those of the Coma cluster, which is comparable in mass to Ophiuchus but much more dynamically disturbed. Methods. Based on a deep image of the Ophiuchus cluster in the r′ band obtained at the Canada France Hawaii Telescope with the MegaCam camera, we have applied an iterative process to subtract the contribution of the numerous stars that, due to the low Galactic latitude of the cluster, pollute the image, and have obtained a photometric catalogue of 2818 galaxies fully complete at r′ = 20.5 mag and still 91% complete at r′ = 21.5 mag. We use this catalogue to derive the cluster Galaxy Luminosity Function (GLF) for the overall image and for a region (hereafter the “rectangle” region) covering exactly the same physical size as the region in which the GLF of the Coma cluster was previously studied. We then compute density maps based on an adaptive kernel technique, for different magnitude limits, and define three circular regions covering 0.08, 0.08, and 0.06 deg2, respectively, centred on the cluster (C), on northwest (NW) of the cluster, and southeast (SE) of the cluster, in which we compute the GLFs. Results. The GLF fits are much better when a Gaussian is added to the usual Schechter function, to account for the excess of very bright galaxies. Compared to Coma, Ophiuchus shows a strong excess of bright galaxies. Conclusions. The properties of the two nearby very massive clusters Ophiuchus and Coma are quite comparable, though they seem embedded in different large-scale environments. Our interpretation is that Ophiuchus was built up long ago, as confirmed by its relaxed state (see paper I) while Coma is still in the process of forming.

The galaxy luminosity function in groups and clusters: the faint-end upturn and the connection to the field luminosity function

We characterize the luminosity functions of galaxies residing in $z\sim0$ groups and clusters over the broadest ranges of luminosity and mass reachable by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Our measurements cover four orders of magnitude in luminosity, down to about $M_r=-12$ mag or $L=10^7\,L_\odot$, and three orders of magnitude in halo mass, from $10^{12}$ to $10^{15} \, {\rm M}_\odot$. We find a characteristic scale, $M_r\sim-18$ mag or $L\sim10^9\, L_\odot$, below which the slope of the luminosity function becomes systematically steeper. This trend is present for all halo masses and originates mostly from red satellites. This ubiquitous faint-end upturn suggests that it is formation, rather than halo-specific environmental effect, that plays a major role in regulating the stellar masses of faint satellites. We show that the satellite luminosity functions can be described in a simple manner by a double Schechter function with amplitudes scaling with halo mass over the entire range of observables. Combining these conditional luminosity functions with the dark matter halo mass function, we accurately recover the entire field luminosity function over 10 visual magnitudes and reveal that satellite galaxies dominate the field luminosity function at magnitudes fainter than $-17$. We find that the luminosity functions of blue and red satellite galaxies show distinct shapes and we present estimates of the stellar mass fraction as a function of halo mass and galaxy type. Finally, using a simple model, we demonstrate that the abundances and the faint-end slopes of blue and red satellite galaxies can be interpreted in terms of their formation history, with two distinct modes separated by some characteristic time.

The abundance and colours of galaxies in high-redshift clusters in the cold dark matter cosmology

High-redshift galaxy clusters allow us to examine galaxy formation in extreme environments. Here we compile data for 15 $z>1$ galaxy clusters to test the predictions from a state-of-the-art semi-analytical model of galaxy formation. The model gives a good match to the slope and zero-point of the cluster red sequence. The model is able to match the cluster galaxy luminosity function at faint and bright magnitudes, but underestimates the number of galaxies around the break in the cluster luminosity function. We find that simply assuming a weaker dust attenuation improves the model predictions for the cluster galaxy luminosity function, but worsens the predictions for the red sequence at bright magnitudes. Examination of the properties of the bright cluster galaxies suggests that the default dust attenuation is large due to these galaxies having large reservoirs of cold gas as well as small radii. We find that matching the luminosity function and colours of high-redshift cluster galaxies, whilst remaining consistent with local observations, poses a challenge for galaxy formation models.

Galaxy luminosity functions in WINGS clusters

Using V band photometry of the WINGS survey, we derive galaxy luminosity functions (LF) in nearby clusters. This sample is complete down to Mv=-15.15, and it is homogeneous, thus allowing the study of an unbiased sample of clusters with different characteristics. We constructed the photometric LF for 72 out of the original 76 WINGS clusters, excluding only those without a velocity dispersion estimate. For each cluster we obtained the LF for galaxies in a region of radius=0.5 x r200, and fitted them with single and double Schechter's functions. We also derive the composite LF for the entire sample, and those pertaining to different morphological classes. Finally we derive the spectroscopic cumulative LF for 2009 galaxies that are cluster members. The double Schechter fit parameters are neither correlated with the cluster velocity dispersion, nor with the X-ray luminosity. Our median values of the Schechter's fit slope are, on average, in agreement with measurements of nearby clusters, but are less steep that those derived from large surveys, such as the SDSS. Early--type galaxies outnumber late-types at all magnitudes, but both early and late types contribute equally to the faint end of the LF. Finally, the spectroscopic LF is in excellent agreement with the ones derived for A2199, A85 and Virgo, and with the photometric one at the bright magnitudes (where both are available). There is a large spread in the LF of different clusters. However, this spread is not caused by correlation of the LF shape with cluster characteristics such as X--ray luminosity or velocity dispersions. The faint end is flatter than what previously derived (alpha_f=-1.7) at odds with what predicted from numerical simulations.

An empirical model for the star formation history in dark matter haloes

We develop an empirical approach to infer the star formation rate in dark matter halos from the galaxy stellar mass function (SMF) at different redshifts and the local cluster galaxy luminosity function (CGLF), which has a steeper faint end relative to the SMF of local galaxies. As satellites are typically old galaxies which have been accreted earlier, this feature can cast important constraint on the formation of low-mass galaxies at high-redshift. The evolution of the SMFs suggests the star formation in high mass halos ($>10^{12}M_{\odot}h^{-1}$) has to be boosted at high redshift beyond what is expected from a simple scaling of the dynamical time. The faint end of the CGLF implies a characteristic redshift $z_c\approx2$ above which the star formation rate in low mass halos with masses $< 10^{11}M_{\odot}h^{-1}$ must be enhanced relative to that at lower z. This is not directly expected from the standard stellar feedback models. Also, this enhancement leads to some interesting predictions, for instance, a significant old stellar population in present-day dwarf galaxies with $M_* < 10^8 M_{\odot}h^{-2}$ and steep slopes of high redshift stellar mass and star formation rate functions.

THE FAINT END OF THE CLUSTER-GALAXY LUMINOSITY FUNCTION AT HIGH REDSHIFT

We measure the faint end slope of the galaxy luminosity function (LF) for cluster galaxies at 1<z<1.5 using Spitzer IRAC data. We investigate whether this slope, alpha, differs from that of the field LF at these redshifts, and with the cluster LF at low redshifts. The latter is of particular interest as low-luminosity galaxies are expected to undergo significant evolution. We use seven high-redshift spectroscopically confirmed galaxy clusters drawn from the IRAC Shallow Cluster Survey to measure the cluster galaxy LF down to depths of M* + 3 (3.6 microns) and M* + 2.5 (4.5 microns). The summed LF at our median cluster redshift (z=1.35) is well fit by a Schechter distribution with alpha[3.6] = -0.97 +/- 0.14 and alpha[4.5] = -0.91 +/- 0.28, consistent with a flat faint end slope and is in agreement with measurements of the field LF in similar bands at these redshifts. A comparison to alpha in low-redshift clusters finds no statistically significant evidence of evolution. Combined with past studies which show that M* is passively evolving out to z~1.3, this means that the shape of the cluster LF is largely in place by z~1.3. This suggests that the processes that govern the build up of the mass of low-mass cluster galaxies have no net effect on the faint end slope of the cluster LF at z<1.3.

Environmental effects on the bright end of the galaxy luminosity function in galaxy clusters

The dependence of the luminosity function of cluster galaxies on the evolutionary state of the parent cluster is still an open issue, in particular as concern the formation/evolution of the brightest cluster galaxies. We plan to study the bright part of the LFs of a sample of very unrelaxed clusters ("DARC" clusters showing evidence of major, recent mergers) and compare them to a reference sample of relaxed clusters spanning a comparable mass and redshift range. Our analysis is based on the SDSS DR7 photometric data of ten, massive, and X-ray luminous clusters (0.2<z<0.3), always considering physical radii (R_200 or its fractions). We consider r' band LFs and use the color-magnitude diagrams (r'-i',r') to clean our samples as well to consider separately red and blue galaxies. We find that DARC and relaxed clusters give similar LF parameters and blue fractions. The two samples differ for their content of bright galaxies BGs, M_r<-22.5, since relaxed clusters have fewer BGs, in particular when considering the outer cluster region 0.5R_200<R<R_200 (by a factor two). However, the cumulative light in BGs is similar for relaxed and DARC samples. We conclude that BGs grow in luminosity and decrease in number as the parent clusters grow hierarchically in agreement with the BG formation by merging with other luminous galaxies.

THE STRUCTURE OF 2MASS GALAXY CLUSTERS

We use a sample of galaxies from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) Extended Source Catalog to refine a matched filter method of finding galaxy clusters that takes into account each galaxy's position, magnitude, and redshift if available. The matched filter postulates a radial density profile, luminosity function, and line-of-sight velocity distribution for cluster galaxies. We use this method to search for clusters in the galaxy catalog, which is complete to an extinction-corrected K-band magnitude of 13.25 and has spectroscopic redshifts for roughly 40% of the galaxies, including nearly all brighter than K = 11.25. We then use a stacking analysis to determine the average luminosity function, radial distribution, and velocity distribution of cluster galaxies in several richness classes, and use the results to update the parameters of the matched filter before repeating the cluster search. We also investigate the correlations between a cluster's richness and its velocity dispersion and core radius, using these relations to refine priors that are applied during the cluster search process. After the second cluster search iteration, we repeat the stacking analysis. We find a cluster galaxy luminosity function that fits a Schechter form, with parameters M_K* - 5 log h = -23.64\pm0.04 and \alpha = -1.07\pm0.03. We can achieve a slightly better fit to our luminosity function by adding a Gaussian component on the bright end to represent the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) population. The radial number density profile of galaxies closely matches a projected Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile at intermediate radii, with deviations at small radii due to well-known cluster centering issues and outside the virial radius due to correlated structure. The velocity distributions are Gaussian in shape, with velocity dispersions that correlate strongly with richness.

Environmental Effects on Galaxy Luminosity Functions in Clusters

AbstractThe formation and evolution of galaxies is strongly influenced by environment, particularly in clusters, where galaxy luminosity functions vary in shape with the dynamical state of the cluster (relaxed or in various stages of merging), with the photometric band considered and with the position in the cluster. We present here results concerning the optical GLFs in several relaxed and merging clusters.

LoCuSS: connecting the dominance and shape of brightest cluster galaxies with the assembly history of massive clusters

We study the luminosity gap, dm12, between the first and second ranked galaxies in a sample of 59 massive galaxy clusters, using data from the Hale Telescope, HST, Chandra, and Spitzer. We find that the dm12 distribution, p(dm12), is a declining function of dm12, to which we fitted a straight line: p(dm12) propto -(0.13+/-0.02)dm12. The fraction of clusters with "large" luminosity gaps is p(dm12>=1)=0.37+/-0.08, which represents a 3sigma excess over that obtained from Monte Carlo simulations of a Schechter function that matches the mean cluster galaxy luminosity function. We also identify four clusters with "extreme" luminosity gaps, dm12>=2, giving a fraction of p(dm12>=2)=0.07+0.05-0.03. More generally, large luminosity gap clusters are relatively homogeneous, with elliptical/disky brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), cuspy gas density profiles (i.e. strong cool cores), high concentrations, and low substructure fractions. In contrast, small luminosity gap clusters are heterogeneous, spanning the full range of boxy/elliptical/disky BCG morphologies, the full range of cool core strengths and dark matter concentrations, and have large substructure fractions. Taken together, these results imply that the amplitude of the luminosity gap is a function of both the formation epoch, and the recent infall history of the cluster. "BCG dominance" is therefore a phase that a cluster may evolve through, and is not an evolutionary "cul-de-sac". We also compare our results with semi-analytic model predictions based on the Millennium Simulation. None of the models are able to reproduce all of the observational results, underlining the inability of current models to match the empirical properties of BCGs. We identify the strength of AGN feedback and the efficiency with which cluster galaxies are replenished after they merge with the BCG in each model as possible causes of these discrepancies. [Abridged]

The near-IR luminosity function and bimodal surface brightness distributions of Virgo cluster galaxies

We have acquired deep, H-band imaging for a sample of 286 Virgo cluster galaxies with B T ≤ 16 mag and extracted surface photometry from optical g, r, i, z Sloan Digital Sky Survey images of 742 Virgo Cluster Catalogue galaxies, including those with H-band images. We confirm the detection of a dip in the luminosity function indicative of a discontinuity in the cluster galaxy population; the dip is more pronounced at redder wavelengths. We find, in agreement with earlier works of Tully and Verheijen and ours for Ursa Major cluster galaxies, a clear dichotomy between high and low surface brightness (HSB and LSB) galaxy discs. The difference between the low and high brightness peaks of Virgo disc galaxies is ∼2 H-mag arcsec -2 , significantly larger than any systematic errors. The high surface brightness disc galaxies have two distinct classes of high and low concentration bulges, while LSB galaxies have only low concentration bulges. Early-type galaxies exhibit a similar structural bimodality though offset from that of the spiral galaxies towards higher surface brightnesses. Both the early- and late-type structural bimodalities are uncorrelated with colour or any other structural parameter except, possibly, circular velocity. Random realizations of realistic surface brightness profiles suggest that a bimodal distribution of effective surface brightness is unexpected based on normal distributions of bulge and disc parameters. Rather, the structural bimodality may be linked to dynamic properties of galaxies. Low angular momentum systems may collapse to form dynamically important discs with high surface brightness, while high angular momentum systems would end up as low surface brightness galaxies dominated by the dark halo at all radii. The confirmation of structural bimodality for gas-rich and gas-poor galaxies in the high-density Virgo cluster as well as the low-density UMa cluster suggests that this phenomenon is independent of environment.

On the accuracy of the high-redshift cluster luminosity function

We study the reliability of the statistical background subtraction method for computing the Ks-band luminosity function of cluster galaxies at z∼ 1 using mock Red-sequence Cluster Survey cluster catalogues constructed from galform semi-analytic galaxies. The underlying cluster luminosity function in the mocks is compatible with recent estimates at z∼ 1 by several authors. We simulate different samples where the number of clusters with Ks-band photometry goes from five to a maximum of 50, in order to find the most suitable observational sample to carry out this study; the current observational status in the near-infrared wavelength range has been reached using five real clusters at z∼ 1. We compute the composite luminosity function for several samples of galaxy clusters with masses ≃1.5 × 1014 M⊙ assuming a flux-limited, complete sample of galaxies down to Ks= 21.0 mag. We find that the Schechter fit parameters Ks* and α for a sample of galaxies with no redshift information are rather poorly constrained if both parameters are allowed to vary freely; if α is fixed at a fiducial value, then Ks* shows significantly improved stochastic uncertainties but can be influenced by systematic deviations. We find a significantly improved accuracy in the luminosity function parameters when adding photometric redshift information for bright cluster galaxies. The impact of a 10-fold increase in the number of clusters with available Ks-band photometry is that of decreasing stochastic errors in Ks* and α by factors of ≃2 and ≃4, respectively, for accuracies of up to (ΔKs*/Ks*)stochastic= 0.02 and (Δα/α)stochastic= 0.09. The dwarf-to-giant ratios inferred from the luminosity functions of red-sequence galaxies in the mock catalogue agree very well with the underlying values; however, there is an indication that the semi-analytic model overpredicts the abundance of dwarf galaxies by up to a factor of 3 with respect to recent measurements. Finally, we find that in order to use estimates of Ks* to study the formation redshift of cluster galaxies at z= 1, the sample would need to contain 520 z∼ 1 clusters, for an accuracy of ∼2 Gyr at the 68 per cent confidence level. However, combining this method with other estimates may significantly reduce the sample size, and allow important new constraints on galaxy formation models.

Photometric redshifts as a tool for studying the Coma cluster galaxy populations

Aims. We apply photometric redshift techniques to an investigation of the Coma cluster galaxy luminosity function (GLF) at faint magnitudes, in particular in the u* band where basically no studies are presently available at these magnitudes. Methods: Cluster members were selected based on probability distribution function from photometric redshift calculations applied to deep u^*, B, V, R, I images covering a region of almost 1 deg2 (completeness limit R ~ 24). In the area covered only by the u* image, the GLF was also derived after a statistical background subtraction. Results: Global and local GLFs in the B, V, R, and I bands obtained with photometric redshift selection are consistent with our previous results based on a statistical background subtraction. The GLF in the u* band shows an increase in the faint end slope towards the outer regions of the cluster. The analysis of the multicolor type spatial distribution reveals that late type galaxies are distributed in clumps in the cluster outskirts, where X-ray substructures are also detected and where the GLF in the u* band is steeper. Conclusions: We can reproduce the GLFs computed with classical statistical subtraction methods by applying a photometric redshift technique. The u* GLF slope is steeper in the cluster outskirts, varying from α ~ -1 in the cluster center to α ~ -2 in the cluster periphery. The concentrations of faint late type galaxies in the cluster outskirts could explain these very steep slopes, assuming a short burst of star formation in these galaxies when entering the cluster. Based on observations obtained with MegaPrime/MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, and the University of Hawaii. This work is also partly based on data products produced at TERAPIX and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and CNRS. Also based on data from W. M. Keck Observatory which is operated as a scientific partnership between the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA. It was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

TheHubble Space TelescopeAdvanced Camera for Surveys Coma Cluster Survey. I. Survey Objectives and Design

We describe the HST ACS Coma Cluster Treasury survey, a deep two-passband imaging survey of one of the nearest rich clusters of galaxies, the Coma Cluster (Abell 1656). The survey was designed to cover an area of 740 arcmin2 in regions of different density of both galaxies and intergalactic medium within the cluster. The ACS failure of 2007 January 27 leaves the survey 28% complete, with 21 ACS pointings (230 arcmin2) complete, and partial data for a further four pointings (44 arcmin2). The predicted survey depth for 10 σ detections for optimal photometry of point sources is g' = 27.6 in the F475W filter and IC = 26.8 mag in F814 (AB magnitudes). Initial simulations with artificially injected point sources show 90% recovered at magnitude limits of g' = 27.55 and IC = 26.65. For extended sources, the predicted 10 σ limits for a 1 arcsec2 region are g' = 25.8 mag arcsec−2 and IC = 25.0 mag arcsec−2. We highlight several motivating science goals of the survey, including study of the faint end of the cluster galaxy luminosity function, structural parameters of dwarf galaxies, stellar populations and their effect on colors and color gradients, evolution of morphological components in a dense environment, the nature of ultracompact dwarf galaxies, and globular cluster populations of cluster galaxies of a range of luminosities and types. This survey will also provide a local rich cluster benchmark for various well-known global scaling relations and explore new relations pertaining to the nuclear properties of galaxies.

The galaxy luminosity function of the Abell 496 cluster and its spatial variations

Context.The faint end slopes of galaxy luminosity functions (LFs) in clusters of galaxies have been observed in some cases to vary with clustercentric distance and should be influenced by the physical processes (mergers, tides) affecting cluster galaxies. However, there is a wide disagreement on the values of the faint end LF slopes, ranging from -1 to -2.3 in the magnitude range .

Luminosity Function of the Cluster of Galaxies Abell 566

We investigate the Luminosity Function (LF) of the cluster of galaxies Abell 566. The photometric data of 15 intermediate-bands are obtained from the Beijing-Arizona-Taiwan-Connecticut (BATC) photometric sky survey. For each of the 15 wavebands, the LF of cluster galaxies is well modelled by the Schechter function, with characteristic luminosities from –18.0 to –21.9 magnitude, from the a- to the p-band. Morphological dependence of the LF is investigated by separating the cluster members into `red' and `blue' subsamples. It is clear that late type galaxies have a steeper shape of LF than the early type galaxies. We also divided the sample galaxies by their local environment. It was found that galaxies in the sparser region have steeper shape of LF than galaxies in the denser region. Combining the results of morphological and environmental dependence of LFs, we show that Abell 566 is a well relaxed cluster with positive evidence of galaxy interaction and merger, and excess number of bright early type galaxies located in its denser region.