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Testing the Hubble Law from Magnitude-Redshift Data of Field Galaxies: The Effect of the Shape of the Luminosity Function

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Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy II
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Abstract

The calibration of the redshift-distance relation cz = Hr P, with z the redshift, r the distance and H and p two parameters, from (m,z)-data requires an initial guess on the luminosity function (LF) of the sample. The simplest assumption is that the LF is a Dirac function, that means that all considered objects have the same absolute magnitude M 0 (“standard candles”). Once the relation is calibrated it may then be used to determine vice versa the distance of a particular object or the LF of a total sample of objects. This is obviously a circular approach since a wrong initial assumption on the LF may have biased the calibration. Almost 20 years ago Segal and his co-workers have started a debate with their statement that, if the LF is only a function of M (no evolutionary effects), it is possible to determine the LF and the exponent p galaxy data.

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Ullmann, O. (1997). Testing the Hubble Law from Magnitude-Redshift Data of Field Galaxies: The Effect of the Shape of the Luminosity Function. In: Babu, G.J., Feigelson, E.D. (eds) Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy II. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1968-2_50

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1968-2_50

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7360-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-1968-2

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