The galex VIMOS-VLT deep survey1 measurement of the evolution of the 1500 å luminosity function

S. Arnouts, D. Schiminovich, O. Ilbert, L. Tresse, B. Milliard, M. Treyer, S. Bardelli, T. Budavari, T. K. Wyder, E. Zucca, O. Le Fèvre, D. C. Martin, G. Vettolani, C. Adami, M. Arnaboldi, T. Barlow, L. Bianchi, M. Bolzonella, D. Bottini, Y. I. ByunA. Cappi, S. Charlot, T. Contini, J. Donas, K. Forster, S. Foucaud, P. Franzetti, P. G. Friedman, B. Garilli, I. Gavignaud, L. Guzzo, T. M. Heckman, C. Hoopes, A. Iovino, P. Jelinsky, V. Le Brun, Y. W. Lee, D. Maccagni, B. F. Madore, R. Malina, B. Marano, C. Marinoni, H. J. Mccracken, A. Mazure, B. Meneux, R. Merighi, P. Morrissey, S. Neff, S. Paltani, R. Pellò, J. P. Picat, A. Pollo, L. Pozzetti, M. Radovich, R. M. Rich, R. Scaramella, M. Scodeggio, M. Seibert, O. Siegmund, T. Small, A. S. Szalay, B. Welsh, C. K. Xu, G. Zamorani, A. Zanichelli

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

182 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present the first measurement of the galaxy luminosity function (LF) at 1500 Å in the range 0.2 ≤ z ≤ 1.2 based on Galaxy Evolution Explorer VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey observations (̃1000 spectroscopic redshifts for galaxies with NUV ≤ 24.5) and at higher z using existing data sets. Our main results are summarized as follows: (1) Luminosity evolution is observed with ΔM* ̃ -2.0 mag between 2 = 0 and z = 1 and Δ M* ̃ -1.0 mag between z = 1 and z = 3. This confirms that the star formation activity was significantly higher in the past. (2) The LF slopes vary in the range -1.2 ≥ α ≥ -1.65, with a marginally significant hint of increase at higher z. (3) We split the sample in three rest-frame (B - 1) intervals, providing an approximate spectral type classification: Sb-Sd, Sd-Irr, and unobscured starbursts. We find that the bluest class evolves less strongly in luminosity than the two other classes. On the other hand, their number density increases sharply with z (̃15% in the local universe to ̃55% at z ̃ 1), while that of the reddest classes decreases.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)L43-L46
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume619
Issue number1 II
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jan 2005

Keywords

  • Cosmology: observations
  • Galaxies: evolution
  • Galaxies: luminosity function, mass function
  • Ultraviolet: galaxies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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