The Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey - II. The Field Galaxy Luminosity Function

Abstract

We present the results for the galaxy luminosity function as estimated from the Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey. This survey is magnitude limited to bj = 17, contains 2500 galaxies sampled at a rate of one in three and surveys a 4 x 10^6 Mpc^3 volume of space. The maximum likelihood parameters for a standard Schechter luminosity function are estimated to be M*bj = -19.72+-0.09, alpha = -1.14+-0.08 and phi* = (1.2 +- 0.2) x 10^-2 ( h^3Mpc^-3). A comparison with galaxy luminosity functions from other redshift surveys shows good agreement and the shape of the luminosity function now appears well-defined down to Mbj = -17. There are some discrepancies between the different surveys for galaxies fainter than this absolute magnitude. However, our estimate agrees well with that from the APM-Stromlo Galaxy Redshift Survey and we measure a fairly flat faint end slope.