Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 1988. 26: 509-560
Copyright © 1988 by . All rights reserved

Reprinted with kind permission from , 4139 El Camino Way, Palo Alto, California, USA

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THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF GALAXIES

Bruno Binggeli


Astronomisches Institut der Universitat Basel, Venusstrasse 7,
CH-4102 Binningen, Switzerland and Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri,
Largo Enrico Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze, Italy

Allan Sandage


Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories, Carnegie Institution
of Washington, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, California 91101

G.A. Tammann


Astronomisches Institut der Universität Basel, Venusstrasse 7,
CH-4102 Binningen Switzerland and European Southern Observatory,
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-8046 Garching, West Germany


Table of Contents

THE RELEVANCE OF THE OPTICAL LUMINOSITY FUNCTION
The General vs. Specific Functions
Some Examples Where varphi(M) is Needed
History of Determining the General Luminosity Function

DEFINITION
Luminosity Function and Density Function
Magnitudes
Selection of Galaxies

METHODS TO DETERMINE THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION
Cluster Galaxies
Field Galaxies

THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OVER ALL HUBBLE TYPES
Cluster Galaxies
Field Galaxies
The Question of Universality

THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION FOR DIFFERENT HUBBLE TYPES
E and S0 Galaxies
Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies
Spiral and Irregular Galaxies
Summary

THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION FOR DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
The Morphology-Density Relation
Toward a Luminosity Function-Density Relation
A Case for Simplicity

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
Observational
Theoretical

REFERENCES

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