The number, luminosity and mass density of spiral galaxies as a function of surface brightness

11 May 1996

journal article
research article
Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Vol. 280 (2) , 337-354
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/280.2.337

Abstract

I present analytic expressions for the relative number, luminosity and mass density of disc galaxies as a function of surface brightness. These surface brightness distributions are asymmetric, with long tails to lower surface brightnesses. This asymmetry induces systematic errors in most determinations of the galaxy luminosity function. Galaxies of low surface brightness exist in large numbers, but the additional contribution to the integrated luminosity density is modest, probably 10–30 per cent.

Keywords

GALAXIES: FORMATION
GALAXIES: FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS
GALAXIES: GENERAL
GALAXIES: LUMINOSITY FUNCTION
MASS FUNCTION
GALAXIES: SPIRAL
GALAXIES: STRUCTURE

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Version 1, 1995-11-02, ArXiv

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