| Title | The early-type dwarf galaxy population of the Fornax cluster |
| Authors | Mieske, S.; Hilker, M.; Infante, L.; Mendes de Oliveira, C. |
| Bibcode | 2007A&A...463..503M Search ADS ↗ |
| Abstract | Aims:We analyse the photometric properties of the early-type Fornax cluster dwarf-galaxy population (M_V>-17 mag), based on a wide-field imaging study of the central cluster area in V and I bandpasses. We used the instrument/telescope combination IMACS/Magellan at Las Campanas Observatory, providing much larger light-collecting area and better image resolution than previous wide-field imaging surveys.
Methods: We created a fiducial sample of Fornax cluster dwarf ellipticals (dEs) in the following three steps. (1) To verify cluster membership, we measured I-band surface brightness fluctuations (SBF) distances to candidate dEs known from previous surveys. (2) We re-assessed morphological classifications for those candidate dEs that are too faint for SBF detection. (3) We searched for new candidate dEs in the size-luminosity regime close to the resolution limit of previous surveys.
Results: (1) We confirm cluster membership for 28 candidate dEs in the range -16.6Conclusions: .The SBF method is a very powerful tool to help constrain the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function in nearby galaxy clusters. For the Fornax cluster, morphological cluster memberships - if performed at sufficient resolution - are very reliable. Table 1 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/463/503 |
| Objects | 101 Objects Search NED ↙ |
