Galaxy Clustering Statistics of Hubble Space Telescope Medium Deep Survey WF/PC Images

Details Galaxy Clustering Statistics of Hubble Space Telescope Medium Deep Survey WF/PC Images Galaxy Clustering Statistics of Hubble Space Telescope Medium Deep Survey WF/PC Images

Nov 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995apj...453..559n&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal v.453, p.559

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

21

Cosmology: Theory, Cosmology: Large-Scale Structure Of Universe, Galaxies: Clusters: General, Galaxies: Photometry

Scientific paper

We investigate the clustering properties of galaxies observed to I ≲ 23 mag in prerefurbishment WF/PC images obtained for the Medium Deep Survey HST Key project. The present study is superior to earlier ground-based galaxy clustering studies in its subarcsecond resolution of close pairs of objects and the depths to which systematic galaxy classifications are achieved. Thus, we examine the two-point correlation function of galaxies down to arcsecond scales, and as a function of galaxy type and (V - I) color. Nominal galaxy classification is achieved by modeling both the intrinsic properties of galaxies and the detector plus optics systematics.
For I ≤ 22 mag, our data show no excess of galaxy pairs with separations 0".5-4", (≲ 12 h-1 kpc at zmed ≌ 0.5), consistent with a constant galaxy merging rate out to zmed 0.5. When combined with local observations, our measured galaxy correlation function suggests strong evolution in the correlation amplitude, Aω The viable explanations drawn from these observations are the following: (a) structures on scales of galaxy clusters shrink in proper coordinates in a universe with q0 ≤ 0.5 and mildly evolving galaxy spectra; or (b) a population of weakly clustered dwarf galaxies become prominent for I ≳ 20 mag, which fade by the present epoch. The latter possibility is most favorable as a means to explain both the strong decline of Aω with redshift and the lack of excess of pairs at small separations.
The correlation amplitude has a stronger dependence on early/late galaxy type and (V - I) color. For bulge- dominated galaxy samples Aω is 2-4 times higher than that of disk-dominated samples, and 1-2 times higher than that of the combined disk plus bulge samples. The difference in amplitude between disk and bulge samples in our relatively deep random field sample is similar to what has been observed locally in the Pisces-Perseus supercluster and so indicates that the degree of morphological segregation: (1) is not sensitive to galaxy space density and (2) is not a function of redshift out to z ≲ 0.5. For red 50% marginal samples, as determined by measured (V - I) colors, Aω is 4-8 times higher than that for blue 50% marginal samples.

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