A new method to measure evolution of the galaxy luminosity function

作者：Dye S^*; Eales S A

来源：Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2010, 405(4): 2406-2418.

DOI：10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16623.x

• galaxies: evolution
• methods: statistical

We present a new efficient technique for measuring evolution of the galaxy luminosity function. The method reconstructs the evolution over the luminosity-redshift plane using any combination of three input data set types: (i) number counts, (ii) galaxy redshifts and (iii) integrated background flux measurements. The evolution is reconstructed in adaptively sized regions of the plane according to the input data as determined by a Bayesian formalism. We demonstrate the performance of the method using a range of different synthetic input data sets. We also make predictions of the accuracy with which forthcoming surveys conducted with Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2 and the Herschel Space Satellite will be able to measure evolution of the submillimetre luminosity function using the method.

• 出版日期2010-7-11