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In this paper we present measurements of velocity dispersions and Lick indices for 509 galaxies in the local Universe, based on high signal-to-noise, long slit spectra obtained with the 1.52 m ESO telescope at La Silla. The conversion of our measurements into the Lick/IDS system was carried out following the general prescription of Worthey and Ottaviani 1997. Comparisons of our measurements with those of other authors show, in general, good agreement. We also examine the dependence between these indices (e.g., Hbeta, Mg_2, Fe5270 and NaD) and the central velocity dispersion (sigma), and we find that they are consistent with those previously reported in the literature. Benefiting from the relatively large size of the sample, we are able to investigate the dependence of these relations on morphology and environment, here represented by the local galaxy density. We find that for metallic lines these relations show no significant dependence on environment or morphology, except in the case of NaD, which shows distinct behavior for E and S0. On the other hand, the Hbeta-logsigma shows a significant difference as a function of the local density of galaxies, which we interpret as being caused by the truncation of star formation in high density environments. Comparing our results with those obtained by other authors we find a few discrepancies, adding to the ongoing debate about the nature of these relations. Finally, we report that the scatter of the Mg indices versus sigma relations correlate with Hbeta, suggesting that age may contribute to the scatter. Furthermore, this scatter shows no significant dependence on morphology or environment. Our results are consistent with the current downsizing model, where low mass galaxies have an extended star formation history (abridged)., 88 pages, 24 figures, to be published in AJ, for further information see http://staff.on.br/ogando

This paper presents data on the ENEARc subsample of the larger ENEAR survey of nearby early-type galaxies. The ENEARc galaxies belong to clusters and were specifically chosen to be used for the construction of a Dn-� template. The ENEARc sample includes new measurements of spectroscopic and photometric parameters (redshift, velocity dispersion, line index Mg2, and the angular diameter dn), as well as data from the literature. New spectroscopic data are given for 229 cluster early-type galaxies, and new photometry is presented for 348 objects. Repeat and overlap observations with external data sets are used to construct a final merged catalog consisting of 640 early-type galaxies in 28 clusters. Objective criteria, based on catalogs of groups of galaxies derived from complete redshift surveys of the nearby universe, are used to assign galaxies to clusters. In a companion paper, these data are used to construct the template Dn-� distance relation for early-type galaxies, which has been used to estimate galaxy distances and derive peculiar velocities for the ENEAR all-sky sample.

In this paper R-band photometric and velocity dispersion measurements for a sample of 452 elliptical and S0 galaxies in 28 clusters are used to construct a template D_n-sigma relation. This template relation is constructed by combining the data from the 28 clusters, under the assumption that galaxies in different clusters have similar properties. The photometric and spectroscopic data used consist of new as well as published measurements, converted to a common system, as presented in a accompanying paper. The resulting direct relation, corrected for incompleteness bias, is log{D_n} =1.203 log{sigma} + 1.406; the zero-point has been defined by requiring distant clusters to be at rest relative to the CMB. This zero-point is consistent with the value obtained by using the distance to Virgo as determined by the Cepheid period-luminosity relation. This new D_n-sigma relation leads to a peculiar velocity of -72 (\pm 189) km/s for the Coma cluster. The scatter in the distance relation corresponds to a distance error of about 20%, comparable to the values obtained for the Fundamental Plane relation. Correlations between the scatter and residuals of the D_n-sigma relation with other parameters that characterize the cluster and/or the galaxy stellar population are also analyzed. The direct and inverse relations presented here have been used in recent studies of the peculiar velocity field mapped by the ENEAR all-sky sample.

We use the recently completed redshift-distance survey of nearby early-type galaxies (ENEAR) to measure the dipole component of the peculiar velocity field to a depth of cz ~ 6000 km/s. The sample consists of 1145 galaxies brighter than m_B=14.5 and cz < 7000 km/s, uniformly distributed over the whole sky, and 129 fainter cluster galaxies within the same volume. Most of the Dn-sigma distances were obtained from new spectroscopic and photometric observations conducted by this project, ensuring the homogeneity of the data over the whole sky. These 1274 galaxies are objectively assigned to 696 objects -- 282 groups/clusters and 414 isolated galaxies. We find that within a volume of radius ~ 6000 km/s, the best-fitting bulk flow has an amplitude of |vbulk| =220 +/- 42 km/s in the CMB restframe, pointing towards l=304 +/- 16 degrees, b=25 +/- 11 degrees. The error in the amplitude includes statistical, sampling and possible systematic errors. This solution is in excellent agreement with that obtained by the SFI Tully-Fisher survey. Our results suggest that most of the motion of the Local Group is due to fluctuations within 6000 km/s, in contrast to recent claims of large amplitude bulk motions on larger scales., 11 pages, 2 figures, ApJL, accepted (updated results; matches accepted version)

We introduce two new pair statistics, which relate close galaxy pairs to the merger and accretion rates. We demonstrate the importance of correcting these (and other) pair statistics for selection effects related to sample depth and completeness. In particular, we highlight the severe bias that can result from the use of a flux-limited survey. The first statistic, denoted N_c, gives the number of companions per galaxy, within a specified range in absolute magnitude. N_c is directly related to the galaxy merger rate. The second statistic, called L_c, gives the total luminosity in companions, per galaxy. This quantity can be used to investigate the mass accretion rate. Both N_c and L_c are related to the galaxy correlation function and luminosity function in a straightforward manner. We outline techniques which account for various selection effects, and demonstrate the success of this approach using Monte Carlo simulations. If one assumes that clustering is independent of luminosity (which is appropriate for reasonable ranges in luminosity), then these statistics may be applied to flux-limited surveys. These techniques are applied to a sample of 5426 galaxies in the SSRS2 redshift survey. Using close dynamical pairs, we find N_c(-21

We investigate the dependence of the local galaxy luminosity function on morphology using 5,404 galaxies from the recently enlarged Second Southern Sky Redshift Survey (SSRS2). Over the range -22 \le M_B \le -14 ($H_0 = 100 km/s/Mpc), the luminosity function of early-type galaxies is well fitted by a Schechter function with parameters M_*=-19.37^{+0.10}_{-0.11}, alpha=-1.00^{+0.09}_{-0.09} and phi_*=0.0044 +/- 0.0008 Mpc^{-3}. The spiral luminosity function is very similar and is well fitted by the parameters M_*=-19.43^{+0.08}_{-0.08}, alpha=-1.11^{+0.07}_{-0.06} and phi_*=0.0080 +/- 0.0014 Mpc^{-3} over the same range in absolute magnitude. The flat faint end of the early-type luminosity function is consistent with earlier measurements from the CfA Redshift Survey (Marzke et al. 1994) but is significantly steeper than the slope measured in the Stromlo-APM survey (Loveday et al. 1992). Combined with the increased normalization of the overall LF measured from intermediate redshift surveys, the flat faint-end slope of the E/S0 LF produces no-evolution models which reproduce the deep HST counts of early-type galaxies remarkably well. However, the observed normalization of the SSRS2 LF is consistent with the low value measured in other local redshift surveys. The cause of this low-redshift anomaly remains unknown. The luminosity function of irregular and peculiar galaxies in the SSRS2 is very steep: M_*=-19.78^{+0.40}_{-0.50}, alpha=-1.81^{+0.24}_{-0.24} and phi_*=0.0002 +/- 0.00008 Mpc^{-3}. The steep slope is consistent with the LFs measured for Sm-Im galaxies in the CfA survey, UV-selected galaxies (Treyer et al. 1997), star-forming field galaxies (Bromley et al. 1997) and the bluest galaxies in the SSRS2 (Marzke & da Costa 1997)., Comment: 35 pages + 9 figures + 4 tables. Latex 2.09 with AASTex v. 4.0, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal

We report redshifts, magnitudes and morphological classifications for 5369 galaxies with $m_B \leq 15.5$ and 57 galaxies fainter than this limit, in two regions covering a total of 1.70 steradians in the southern celestial hemisphere. The galaxy catalog is drawn primarily from the list of non-stellar objects identified in the Guide Star Catalog (Lasker et al. 1990, AJ 99, 2019; hereafter GSC). The galaxies have positions accurate to about 1 arc sec and magnitudes with an rms scatter of about 0.3 mag. We compute magnitudes ($m_{SSRS2}$) from the relation between instrumental GSC magnitudes and the photometry by Lauberts & Valentijn (1989). From a comparison with CCD photometry, we find that our system is homogeneous across the sky and corresponds to magnitudes measured at the isophotal level $\sim$ 26 mag arcsec$^{-2}$. The precision of the radial velocities is of \sim 40 km/s and the redshift survey is more than 99% complete to the $m_{SSRS2}$ = 15.5 magnitude limit. This sample is in the direction opposite to the CfA2; in combination the two surveys provide an important database for studies of the properties of galaxies and their large-scale distribution in the nearby Universe., 20 pages, uses AASTeX 4.0 macros. Includes 3 tables and 4 Postscripts figures. Scheduled for publication in the AJ 1998 July issue

We use the two-point correlation function to calculate the clustering properties of the recently completed SSRS2 survey. The redshift space correlation function for the magnitude-limited SSRS2 is given by xi(s)=(s/5.85 h-1 Mpc)^{-1.60} for separations between 2 < s < 11 h-1 Mpc, while our best estimate for the real space correlation function is xi(r) = (r/5.36 h-1 Mpc)^{-1.86}. Both are comparable to previous measurements using surveys of optical galaxies over much larger and independent volumes. By comparing the correlation function calculated in redshift and real space we find that the redshift distortion on intermediate scales is small. This result implies that the observed redshift-space distribution of galaxies is close to that in real space, and that beta = Omega^{0.6}/b < 1, where Omega is the cosmological density parameter and b is the linear biasing factor for optical galaxies. We also use the SSRS2 to study the dependence of xi on the internal properties of galaxies. We confirm earlier results that luminous galaxies (L>L*) are more clustered than sub-L* galaxies and that the luminosity segregation is scale-independent. We find that early types are more clustered than late types, but that in the absence of rich clusters, the relative bias between early and late types in real space, is not as strong as previously estimated. Furthermore, both morphologies present a luminosity-dependent bias, with the early types showing a slightly stronger dependence on luminosity. We also find that red galaxies are significantly more clustered than blue ones, with a mean relative bias stronger than that seen for morphology. Finally, we find that the relative bias between optical and iras galaxies in real space is b_o/b_I $\sim$ 1.4., 43 pages, uses AASTeX 4.0 macros. Includes 8 tables and 16 Postscript figures, updated references

We discuss a magnitude-limited redshift survey covering a region around the south Galactic pole (SSRS2). The survey includes 3592 galaxies and covers a region of 1.13 sr to a limiting m(sub B(0)) = 15.5, directly comparable to CfA2. Together, CfA2 and SSR2 cover more than a third of the sky. The northern and southern surveys are remarkably similar. Both contain voids with diameters as large as 5000 km/s. The southern survey contains the Southern Wall, similar to the northern Great Wall. The distributions of velocity dispersions for systems extracted from the SSRS2 and CfA2 surveys are also remarkably similar. For the SSRS2, an inhomogeneity-independent technique yields Schechter luminosity function parameters M(sup *) = -19.50 and alpha = -1.20 (H(sub O) = 100 h km/s/Mpc, h = 1 unless otherwise specified). The steep faint-end slope is probably attributable to bluer galaxies. By examining the normalized density fluctuations in the SSRS2 and CfA2 surveys, we suggest that the combined sample is not yet large enough to be 'fair.' There are large fluctuations in shells at 10,000 km/s.

In this paper we use new CCD observations to examine the accuracy of the magnitude system we have adopted to define the galaxy sample being used to conduct the Southern Sky Redshift Survey Extension hereafter referred to as (SSRS2). The magnitude scale of the SSRS2 is based on the instrumental magnitudes of the nonstellar objects listed in the ST ScI Guide Star Catalog, converted to the B(0) (Zwicky) system. This was done using a linear relation derived from the comparison of objects in common with the photometric catalogue of Lauberts & Valentijn [The Surface Photometry Catalogue of the ESO-Uppsala Galaxies (European Southern Observatory, Munchen) (1989)]

We present 865 redshifts of galaxies located in the equatorial strip delta between -17.5 deg and -2.5 deg in the right ascension range between 20 h and 5 h. Redshifts have been obtained for the complete sample of all 833 galaxies in the Morphological Catalog of Galaxies with magnitudes brighter than m = 14.5 (corresponding approximately to m(Zwicky) = 15.0). This sample also includes three galaxies from other sources with more reliable magnitudes, satisfying this limit, and 29 fainter galaxies, usually companions of the galaxies in the magnitude limited sample. Our maps of a very large volume of nearby space demonstrate a variety of coherent large scale structures which include large voids, 20-50/h Mpc in diameter and large walls at least 70/h Mpc across.

406 redshifts are reported for galaxies in the northern galactic hemisphere, south of δ = 0°. A substantial fraction of the observed galaxies are located in the equatorial zone −17.5° ≤ δ ≤ 0°. By combining these new data with those available in the literature it is possible to extend the original CfA redshift survey of galaxies brighter than m B(0) = 14.5 to b = 30°, south of δ = 0°. New data taken at lower galactic latitudes also contribute to the existing surveys of the Hydra-Centaurus complex

The catalog of radial velocities for galaxies which comprise the diameter-limited sample of the Southern Sky Redshift Survey is presented. It consolidates the data of observations carried out at the Las Campanas Observatory, Observatorio Nacional, and South African Astronomical Observatory. The criteria used for the sample selection are described, as well as the observational procedures and the technique utilized to obtain the final radial velocities. The intercomparison between radial velocity measurements from different telescopes indicates that the final data base is fairly homogeneous with a typical error of about 40 km/s. The sample is at present 90 percent complete, and the missing galaxies are predominantly objects with very low surface brightness for which it is very difficult to obtain optical redshifts. 20 refs.

Une etude de 2 amas appartenant a la concentration Centaurus de galaxies est presentee. La photometrie photographique et les vitesses radiales ont ete obtenues pour les galaxies dans 2 champs carres centres sur les membres les plus brillants de chaque amas. Les parametres dynamiques sont derives pour chaque amas. Aucune sous-structure n'a ete detectee dans les amas. Un modele d'orbite lineaire a 2 corps montre que ces amas ne forment pas un systeme lie, bien que ce resultat soit marginal

The peculiar velocity induced on the local group by the gravitational field of density fluctuations in the galaxy distribution is calculated. The present paper extends the earlier work of Davis and Huchra (1982) using a sample which includes the northern and southern Galactic caps. This allows an improved determination of the mean density of galaxies, avoiding the large concentration of objects associated with the Virgo cluster. It is found that the dominant contribution of the southern Galactic cap to the peculiar acceleration arises from low-density regions, producing a net motion toward the northern hemisphere. This effect is even stronger at larger distances, because of a large void at 6000 km/s. 32 refs.

Observations in the southern galactic hemisphere in the declination range between -17.5 and 2.5 degrees are combined with other available observation. The data set is used to study the spatial distribution of galaxies of a contiguous area of 3.13 sr of the Southern Galactic Cap. An approximately homogeneous magnitude-limited sample of galaxies in the Southern Galactic Cap is constructed from different catalogs. The resulting large scale structure is similar to that of previous surveys in which bright galaxies are distributed on surfaces which intersect at sharp corners and nearly surround voids that are almost empty of galaxies.

The statistical properties of the galaxy distribution in the Northern and Southern Hemisperes are compared, using the redshift catalogs of the CfA Redshift Survey and the Southern Sky Redshift Survey. These surveys probe comparable volumes of space, making it possible to examine whether the spatial distribution of galaxies in these samples has the same general characteristics. Inspite of apparent differences in the clustering pattern, as perceived from a visual inspection of the redshift maps, the results obtained from the application of several statistical indicators to volume-limited samples drawn from both data sets indicate that the clustering properties are, on scales less than about 10/h Mpc (H0 = 100h km/s Mpc), essentially indistinguishable. 32 refs.

The characteristics of the large underdense regions in the southern galactic cap detected by the Southern Sky Redshift Survey (SSRS) is investigated. Toward this end, a quantitative method is presented that searches for voids in a three-dimensional galaxy distribution, based on the analysis of a smoothed density function, constructed from the original discrete galaxy distribution. The main advantage of the method is that it yields lower limits for the size of underdense regions and allows the investigation of their geometrical properties as a function of the density threshold. From the application of this method to the diameter-limited sample of the SSRS, it is found that the relatively nearby southern voids have volumes comparable to that in Bootes, indicating that large voids may be a common feature of the galaxy distribution. 22 refs.

The general characteristics of the space distribution of galaxies in the SSRS sample, covering the southern Galactic cap, are examined, and maps of the space distribution are presented. The sample consists of 2028 galaxies in an area of 1.75 sr with declination south of -17.5 deg and galactic latitude below -30 deg. The survey provides useful information on large-scale structure to a depth of 120/h Mpc. The galaxy distribution exhibits prominent filaments, sheets, and voids. Some large-scale structures are highly subclustered; others are much more diffuse. 21 references.

Results are reported from dynamical study of the Eridanus group of galaxies. This system is quite prominent in one of the large-scale features found in the recently completed Southern Sky Redshift Survey (da Costa et al., 1988): the Eridanus-Fornax-Dorado filament. The irregualr aspect of Eridanus suggests the existence of subclustering, which is confirmed by statistical tests. These subclusters are bound, suggesting that the system is still condensing from the Hubble flow and may eventually form a cluster of about 10 to the 14th solar mass. By calculating the two-body orbital solution, it is found that the Eridanus complex and the Fornax cluster also form a bound system, although still in the expansion phase. 41 refs.

In this paper we present 111 new redshifts in the region of the Centaurus-Hydra supercluster.

La distribution spatiale des galaxies plus brillantes que m B(0) =15.1, de declinaison −40 o ≤δ≤−30 o , est etudiee

A list of AGN candidates, identified from optical spectra taken as part of an ongoing redshift survey of southern galaxies, is presented. The identification, coordinates, morphological type, measured heliocentric radial velocity, and proposed emission type are given for the galaxies showing evidence of nonstellar nuclear activity. Using standard diagnostics, several new Seyferts and low-ionization nuclear-emission regions (LINERs) are identified among the emission-line galaxies observed. 14 references.

Recently, the temperature T and luminosity L_X of the hot gas halos of early type galaxies have been derived with unprecedented accuracy from Chandra data, for 30 galaxies covering a wider range of galactic luminosity (and central velocity dispersion sigma_c) than before. This work investigates the origin of the observed temperatures, by examining the relationship between them and the galaxy structure, the gas heating due to Type Ia supernovae (SNIa's) and the gravitational potential, and the dynamical status of the gas flow. In galaxies with sigma_c, Comment: 16 pages, accepted for publication in ApJ