Evolution of galaxy clustering: new data on the angular correlation function of faint galaxies

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Abstract
We present new results on the angular correlation function of galaxies, w(θ), and its evolution with apparent magnitude at VR≤23.5 mag. The analysis has been carried out on a data set containing 116,000 galaxies covering almost 4 deg2 at high galactic latitudes, obtained with the Berkeley f/1 CCD camera on the 3.9–m Anglo–Australian Telescope. We find that, at scales less than |$0_{.}^{\circ}2,w(\theta )$| is well described by a pure power law, |$w(\theta)\propto{\theta}^{-0.70\pm0.05},$| with no evidence for any systematic change in the value of the power-law index with apparent magnitude limit. The strength of clustering (as measured by the amplitude of the correlation function) is found to decrease strongly with apparent magnitude, consistent with a model in which galaxy clustering is increasing at a rate R(z)∝(1 + z) with cosmic epoch. As such, this result is inconsistent with the predicted linear growth rate of structure, R(z)∝(1 + Z)–1, in the ‘standard’ cold dark matter model of galaxy formation.

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