Spitzer Space Telescope - Archive Research Proposal #20394


Multi-variate Optical to Infrared Luminosity Functions of SWIRE
Galaxies with Measured Redshifts

Principal Investigator: Jonathan Gardner
           Institution: NASA's GSFC

Science Category: nearby galaxies (z<0.05, v_sys<15,000 km/s) 
Dollars Approved: 61800.0 

Abstract:
Multi-variate optical to infrared luminosity functions of nearby
galaxies will reveal the complex interplay between starlight, dust,
and overall luminosity within the galaxy population.  We propose to
measure the ugriz-3-4-6-8-24 luminosity function of galaxies detected
by the SWIRE survey with redshifts measured by Sloan and 2dF surveys.
We will use principal component analysis to remove correlations from
the resulting 10-dimensional histogram, reducing it to the most
relevant 2 to 3 dimensions.  The luminosity function of the principal
components will show the dependence of optical to infrared colors upon
luminosity, measuring a brightness-dustiness relation.  We will also
calculate more traditional measures of luminosity functions in the
IRAC and MIPS bands.