On the luminosity function of galaxies in groups in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Abstract

Using galaxy groups identified in the Fourth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), we compute the luminosity function for several subsamples of galaxies in groups. In all cases, the luminosity functions are well described by Schechter functions, down to the faintest magnitudes we probe, $M_{\rb}-5\log(h)\sim-16$. For the general luminosity function of galaxies in groups in the five SDSS bands, we observe that the characteristic magnitude is brighter in $\sim 0.5$ magnitudes compared to those obtained for field galaxies by Blanton et al.. Even when the observed faint end slope is steeper in galaxy groups, it is statistically comparable with the field value. We analyze the dependence of the galaxy luminosity function with system masses finding two clear trends: a continuous brightening of the characteristic magnitude and a steepening of the faint end slope as mass increases. The results in $\gb$, $\rb$, $\ib$ and $\zb$ bands show the same behavior. Using the $u-r$ color to split the galaxy sample into red and blue galaxies, we show that the changes observed as a function of the system mass are mainly seen in the red, passively evolving, galaxy population, while the luminosities of blue galaxies remain almost unchanged with mass. Finally, we observe that groups having an important luminosity difference between the two brightest galaxies of a system show a steeper faint end slope than the other groups. Our results can be interpreted in terms of galaxy mergers as the main driving force behind galaxy evolution in groups.