No Arabic abstract
In order to map the galaxy density field in the local universe, we select the Nearby Optical Galaxy (NOG) sample, which is a distance-limited (cz < 6000 km/s) and magnitude--limited (B < 14 mag) sample of 7076 optical galaxies which covers 2/3 (8.29 sr) of the sky (|b|>20^{circ}) and has a good completeness in redshift (98%). In order to trace the galaxy density field on small scales, we identify the NOG galaxy systems by means of both the hierarchical and the percolation (friends of friends) methods. The NOG provides high resolution in both spatial sampling of the nearby universe and morphological galaxy classification. The NOG is meant to be the first step towards the construction of a statistically well-controlled galaxy sample with homogenized photometric data covering most of the celestial sphere.
In order to map the galaxy density field on small scales in the local universe, we use the Nearby Optical Galaxy (NOG) sample, which is currently one of the largest, nearly complete, magnitude-limited ($Bleq$ 14 mag), all-sky sample of nearby optical galaxies ($sim$ 6400 galaxies with cz< 5500 km/s). We have corrected the redshift-dependent distances of these galaxies for non-cosmological motions by means of peculiar velocity field models. Relying on group assignments and on total B magnitudes fully corrected for internal and Galactic extinctions, we determine the total and morphological-type specific luminosity functions for field and grouped galaxies using their locations in real distance space. The related determination of the selection function is meant to be an important step in recovering the galaxy density field on small scales from the NOG sample. Local galaxy density parameters will be used in statistical studies of environmental effects on galaxy properties.
We discuss the 3D real-space reconstruction of the optical galaxy density field in the local Universe as derived from the galaxies of the Nearby Optical Galaxy (NOG) sample. NOG is a distance-limited (cz_{LG} < 6000 km/s) and magnitude--limited (B<14 mag) sample of 7076 optical galaxies which covers 2/3 (8.29 sr) of the sky (|b|>20). We have replaced ``true distances measurements for all the objects in order to correct for redshif distortions. Using homogenized photometric information for the whole sample, NOG is meant to be an approximation to a homogeneous all-sky 3D optically selected and statistically well-controlled galaxy sample that probes in great detail volumes of cosmological interest. Our goal is to construct a reliable, robust and unbiased field of density contrasts covering interesting regions of galaxy and mass overdensities of the local universe.
In this paper we describe the Nearby Optical Galaxy (NOG) sample, which is a complete, distance-limited ($czleq$6000 km/s) and magnitude-limited (B$leq$14) sample of $sim$7000 optical galaxies. The sample covers 2/3 (8.27 sr) of the sky ($|b|>20^{circ}$) and appears to have a good completeness in redshift (98%). We select the sample on the basis of homogenized corrected total blue magnitudes in order to minimize systematic effects in galaxy sampling. We identify the groups in this sample by means of both the hierarchical and the percolation {it friends of friends} methods. The resulting catalogs of loose groups appear to be similar and are among the largest catalogs of groups presently available. Most of the NOG galaxies ($sim$60%) are found to be members of galaxy pairs ($sim$580 pairs for a total of $sim$15% of objects) or groups with at least three members ($sim$500 groups for a total of $sim$45% of objects). About 40% of galaxies are left ungrouped (field galaxies). We illustrate the main features of the NOG galaxy distribution. Compared to previous optical and IRAS galaxy samples, the NOG provides a denser sampling of the galaxy distribution in the nearby universe. Given its large sky coverage, the identification of groups, and its high-density sampling, the NOG is suited for the analysis of the galaxy density field of the nearby universe, especially on small scales.
We present a well-defined and characterized all-sky sample of classical Cepheids in the Milky Way, obtained by combining two time-domain all-sky surveys: Gaia DR2 (Gaia Collaboration et al. 2018) and ASAS-SN (Shappee et al. 2014). We first use parallax and variability information from Gaia to select ~30,000 bright (G<17) Cepheid candidates with M_K<-1. We then analyze their ASAS-SN V-band lightcurves, determining periods, and classifying the lightcurves using their Fourier parameters. This results in ~1900 likely Galactic Cepheids, which we estimate to be >90% complete and pure within our adopted selection criteria. This is the largest all-sky sample of Milky Way Cepheids that has such a well-characterized selection function, needed for population modeling and for systematic spectroscopic follow-up foreseen with SDSS-V. About 130 of these Cepheids have not been documented in the literature even as possible candidates.
Radio halos are synchrotron diffuse sources at the centre of a fraction of galaxy clusters. The study of large samples of clusters with adequate radio and X-ray data is necessary to investigate the origin of radio halos and their connection with the cluster dynamics and formation history. The aim of this paper is to compile a well-selected sample of galaxy clusters with deep radio observations to perform an unbiased statistical study of the properties of radio halos. We selected 75 clusters with M > = 6e14 Msun at z=0.08-0.33 from the Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich catalogue. Clusters without suitable radio data were observed with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and/or the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) to complete the information about the possible presence of diffuse emission. We used archival Chandra X-ray data to derive information on the clusters dynamical states. This observational campaign led to the detection of several cluster-scale diffuse radio sources and candidates that deserve future follow-up observations. Here we summarise their properties and add information resulting from our new observations. For the clusters where we did not detect any hint of diffuse emission, we derived new upper limits to their diffuse flux. We have built the largest mass-selected (> 80 per cent complete in mass) sample of galaxy clusters with deep radio observations available to date. The statistical analysis of the sample, which includes the connection between radio halos and cluster mergers, the radio power-mass correlation, and the occurrence of radio halos as a function of the cluster mass, will be presented in paper II.