Redshift distribution in extragalactic objects and evolution of galaxies

In order to see whether the study of redshift distribution in different classes of extragalactic objects, suspected of belonging to different phases in the evolutionary sequence of galaxies, helps in arriving at a possible picture of the evolutionary sequence of galaxies, histograms have been plotted between the number and the redshift for each of the five classes of extragalactic objects, namely, the QSOs, N-galaxies, Seyfert galaxies, radio galaxies and normal galaxies. It is found that: (i) the highest peaks in the five histograms occur at distinctly different redshifts in the order (Z _peak)_QSOs>(Z _peak)_N-galaxies>(Z _peak)_{Seyfert galaxies}>(Z _peak)_{radio galaxies}> (Z _peak)_{normal galaxies} and (ii) sufficient overlap occurs in the redshift ranges of (a) QSOs and N-galaxies, (b) N-galaxies and Seyfert galaxies, (c) Seyfert galaxies and radio galaxies and (d) radio galaxies and normal galaxies. These facts suggest that the extragalactic objects might be evolving in the sequence: QSOsN-galaxiesSeyfert galaxiesradio galaxiesnormal galaxies. Other independent evidences in support of such an evolutionary sequence have been given. Finally, various aspects of the problem associated with the picture of the evolutionary sequence of galaxies have been critically examined.