Luminosity function of the field galaxies

The Schmidt method for constructing the luminosity function of galaxies is generalized to include the dependence of the density of galaxies on distance in the near universe. The logarithmic luminosity function (LLF) of the field galaxies as a function of morphological type is constructed. It is found that the LLF for all the galaxies, as well as separately for elliptical and lenticular galaxies, can be represented as a Schechter function within a narrow range of absolute magnitudes. The LLF for spiral galaxies is a Schechter function over a rather wide range of absolute magnitudes, −21.0 ≤ M ≤ −14 . The parameter M_* varies little over the spiral galaxies. The parameter α in the Schechter function decreases on going from early to later spirals. On going from elliptical to lenticular galaxies, from early spiral galaxies and onward to later spiral galaxies, a decrease in the average luminosity of the galaxies is observed in the bright end, −23 ≤ M ≤ −17.8 . The completeness and average density of the samples are estimated for galaxies of different morphological types. The average number density of all the galaxies within the range −23 ≤ M ≤ −13 is 0.126 Mpc^-3.