Brightest Cluster Galaxy Formation in Low-Redshift Galaxy Clusters

Abstract

We present the composite luminosity function of a sample of 17 low-redshift galaxy clusters. Our luminosity functions have been measured for an inner region ($r \leq r_{200}$) and an outer region ($r_{200} \leq r \leq 2r_{200}$) centred on each Brightest Cluster Galaxy. The inner region luminosity function has a significantly flatter faint-end slope ($α_{inner}= -1.81 \pm 0.02$) than the outer region ($α_{outer}= -2.07 \pm 0.02$). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a large fraction of dwarf galaxies near cluster centres are being tidally disrupted.