The Luminosity Function for L > L* Galaxies at z > 3

Abstract

Through the use of multiband (U,B_J,R_F,I_N) photometry we have isolated high-redshift (3.0<z<3.5) galaxy candidates in surveys of 1.27 deg² to R_F=21.25 and 0.02 deg² to R_F=23.5. Our pool of candidates constrains the nature of the 3.0<z<3.5 luminosity function over the range L^*<~L<~100L^* if we grant a similar level of completeness to these data as for very faint samples (to R=25.5) selected in a similar fashion. Our constraints agree with the high-redshift sky density at R_F=20.5 estimated from Yee et al.'s serendipitous discovery of a bright, z=2.7 galaxy, as well as the density at R_F~23 by Steidel et al. We strongly rule out--by more than 2 orders of magnitude at M_RF=-25--the L>L^* luminosity function for z = 3-5 galaxies obtained by a photometric redshift analysis of the Hubble deep field (HDF) by Gwyn & Hartwick. Our results at R_F~23 are more consistent with the photometric redshift analysis of the faint HDF galaxies by Sawicki, Lin, & Yee, but our present upper limits at the brightest magnitudes (R_F<21.5, M_RF<-24) allow more generous volume densities of these super-L* galaxies.