The size distribution of galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Abstract

abridged: We use a complete sample of about 140,000 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to study the size distribution of galaxies and its dependence on their luminosity, stellar mass, and morphological type. The large SDSS database provides statistics of unprecedented accuracy. For each type of galaxy, the size distribution at given luminosity (or stellar mass) is well described by a log-normal function, characterized by its median $\bar{R}$ and dispersion $σ_{\ln R}$. For late-type galaxies, there is a characteristic luminosity at $M_{r,0}\sim -20.5$ (assuming $h=0.7$) corresponding to a stellar mass $M_0\sim 10^{10.6}\Msun$. Galaxies more massive than $M_0$ have $\bar{R}\propto M^{0.4}$ and $σ_{\ln R}\sim 0.3$, while less massive galaxies have $\bar{R}\propto M^{0.15}$ and $σ_{\ln R}\sim 0.5$. For early-type galaxies, the $\bar{R}$ - $M$ relation is significantly steeper, $\bar{R}\propto M^{0.55}$, but the $σ_{\ln R}$ - $M$ relation is similar to that of late-type galaxies. Faint red galaxies have sizes quite independent of their luminosities.