J/ApJ/440/28ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/440/28doi:10.26093/cds/vizier.14400028CDSPostman M.Lauer T.R1999-01-06T13:20:21Z1999-01-06T14:19:42ZCDS support team

CDS, Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l'Universite, F-67000 Strasbourg, France

cds-question@unistra.frgalaxy-clustersapparent-magnituderadial-velocityWe investigate the use of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) as standard candles for measuring galaxy peculiar velocities on large scales. We have obtained precise large-format CCD surface photometry and redshifts for an all-sky, volume-limited (z<=0.05) sample of 119 BCG. We reinvestigate the Hoessel (1980ApJ...241..493H) relationship between the metric luminosity, L_m_, within the central 10h^-1^kpc of the BCGs and the logarithmic slope of the surface brightness profile, {alpha}. The L_m_-{alpha} relationship reduces the cosmic scatter in L_m_ from 0.327mag to 0.244mag, yielding a typical distance accuracy of 17% per BCG. Residuals about the L_m_-{alpha} relationship are independent of BCG luminosity, BCG B-R_c_ color, BCG location within the host cluster, and richness of the host cluster. The metric luminosity is independent of cluster richness even before correcting for its dependence on {alpha}, which provides further evidence for the unique nature of the BCG luminosity function. Indeed, the BCG luminosity function, both before and after application of the {alpha}-correction, is consistent with a single Gaussian distribution. Half the BCGs in the sample show some evidence of small color gradients as a function of radius within their central 50h^-1^kpc regions but with almost equal numbers becoming redder as becoming bluer. However, with the central 10h^-1^kpc the colors are remarkably constant, the mean B-R_c_ color is 1.51 with a dispersion of only 0.06mag. The narrow photometric and color distributions of the BCGs, the lack of "second-parameter" effects, as well as the unique rich cluster environment of BCGs, argue that BCGs are the most homogeneous distance indicators presently available for large-scale structure research.1995ApJ...440...28Phttps://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJ/440/28CatalogResearchIsServedByTAP VizieR generic serviceIsServedByConesearch servicerelated-toJ/AJ/101/1561 : Isophotometry of ellipticals in Abell clusters (Porter+ 1991)https://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.htmlhttps://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/440/28https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/440/28http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/440/28https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/ApJ/440/28https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/ApJ/440/28http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/ApJ/440/28GETtext/xml+votablehttps://tapvizier.cds.unistra.fr/TAPVizieR/tapCone search capability for table J/ApJ/440/28/table1 (The BCG sample)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table1?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table1?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table1?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true9.85966676.73402780.005555555555555556Cone search capability for table J/ApJ/440/28/table6 (Galaxy redshift observations)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table6?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table6?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table6?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true17.15791672.26836110.005555555555555556Cone search capability for table J/ApJ/440/28/table7 (Second-ranked galaxy observations)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table7?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table7?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/440/28/table7?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true9.8896256.81458330.005555555555555556https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/moc/J/ApJ/440/28?format=asciiOpticaldefaultJ/ApJ/440/28/table1The BCG samplerecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintAbellAbell galaxy numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimaryRAJ2000Right ascension (J2000)pos.eq.ra;meta.mainDEJ2000Declination (J2000)pos.eq.dec;meta.mainczBCGHeliocentric BCG velocitykm/sphys.veloc;pos.heliocentricintczClHeliocentric cluster velocitykm/sphys.veloc;pos.heliocentricintRunRunsmeta.id;obscharNoteNotes (1)meta.notecharJ/ApJ/440/28/table3Brightest cluster galaxy aperture photometryRcRc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintAbellAbell cluster numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimaryRadRadiusarcsecphys.angSize;srcfloatB-Rc? B-Rc colour indexmagphot.color;em.opt.B;em.opt.RfloatnullableJ/ApJ/440/28/table4*Interrun photometry comparisonsrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintAbellAbell cluster numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimarym_AbellDesignation in Abell clustermeta.code.multipcharRc1? Run 1 Rc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatnullableRc2? Run 2 Rc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatnullableRc3? Run 3 Rc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatnullableRc4? Run 4 Rc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatnullableRc5? Run 5 Rc magnitudemagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatnullableJ/ApJ/440/28/table5External photometry comparisonsrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintAbellAbell numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimaryRadRadiusarcsecphys.angSize;srcfloatRcRc magnitude from Colless et al. (1993MNRAS.262..475C)magphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatRwRc magnitude from this workmagphot.mag;em.opt.RfloatRc-RwRc-Rw value (1)magphot.mag;arith.difffloatJ/ApJ/440/28/table6Galaxy redshift observationsrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintAbellAbell cluster numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimarym_AbellDesignation in Abell clustermeta.code.multipcharRAJ2000Right ascension (J2000.0)pos.eq.ra;meta.mainDEJ2000Declination (J2000.0)pos.eq.dec;meta.mainczHeliocentric velocitykm/sphys.veloc;pos.heliocentricinte_czrms uncertainty on cz (1)km/sstat.errorintSources[1/3] Sources (2)meta.refintNoteNotes (3)meta.notecharJ/ApJ/440/28/table7Second-ranked galaxy observationsNoteNotesmeta.notecharAbellAbell cluster numbermeta.id;meta.mainintprimaryrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintm_AbellDesignation in Abell clustermeta.code.multipcharRAJ2000Right ascension (J2000.0)pos.eq.ra;meta.mainDEJ2000Declination (J2000.0)pos.eq.dec;meta.mainM2-M1Second ranked minus first ranked galaxies absolute magnitudesmagphys.magAbs;em.optfloatalpha{alpha} parameter (1)stat.fit.paramfloatcz? Heliocentric velocitykm/sphys.veloc;pos.heliocentricintnullablee_cz? rms uncertainty on czkm/sstat.errorintnullable