TY - JOUR
T1 - Beyond the galaxy luminosity function
AU - Driver, Simon
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - With the advent of large-scale surveys (i.e. Legacy Surveys) it is now possible to start looking beyond the galaxy luminosity function (LF) to more detailed statistical representations of the galaxy population, i.e multivariate distributions. In this review I first summarise the current state-of-play of the B-band global and cluster LFs and then briefly present two promising bivariate distributions: the luminosity-surface brightness plane (LSP) and the colour-luminosity plane (CLP). In both planes galaxy bulges and galaxy disks form marginally overlapping but distinct distributions, indicating two key formation/evolutionary processes (presumably merger and accretion). Forward progress in this subject now requires the routine application of reliable bulge-disk decomposition codes to allow independent investigation of these two key components.
AB - With the advent of large-scale surveys (i.e. Legacy Surveys) it is now possible to start looking beyond the galaxy luminosity function (LF) to more detailed statistical representations of the galaxy population, i.e multivariate distributions. In this review I first summarise the current state-of-play of the B-band global and cluster LFs and then briefly present two promising bivariate distributions: the luminosity-surface brightness plane (LSP) and the colour-luminosity plane (CLP). In both planes galaxy bulges and galaxy disks form marginally overlapping but distinct distributions, indicating two key formation/evolutionary processes (presumably merger and accretion). Forward progress in this subject now requires the routine application of reliable bulge-disk decomposition codes to allow independent investigation of these two key components.
KW - Galaxies: fundamental parameters
KW - Galaxies: luminosity function
KW - Galaxies: mass function
KW - Galaxies: statistics
KW - Surveys
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=32544451180&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/AS04035
DO - 10.1071/AS04035
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:32544451180
VL - 21
SP - 344
EP - 351
JO - Publications of the Astronomincal Society of Australia (PASA)
JF - Publications of the Astronomincal Society of Australia (PASA)
SN - 1323-3580
IS - 4
ER -