High redshift galaxies in the ALHAMBRA survey: II. strengthening the evidence of bright-end excess in UV luminosity functions at 2.5 <= z <= 4.5 by PDF analysis

TL;DR

This study uses a novel PDF-based method to analyze the UV luminosity function of high-redshift galaxies, providing stronger evidence for a bright-end excess and questioning the traditional Schechter function shape.

Contribution

It introduces a new PDF-based methodology for luminosity function analysis that accounts for uncertainties and provides improved constraints on the bright end at high redshift.

Findings

Detected an excess of bright galaxies compared to broad-band studies.

Measured high bias values indicating strong clustering.

Results support a brighter Schechter function over a double power-law.

Abstract

Context. Knowing the exact shape of the UV luminosity function of high-redshift galaxies is important in order to understand the star formation history of the early universe. However, the uncertainties, especially at the faint and bright ends of the LFs, are still significant. Aims. In this paper, we study the UV luminosity function of redshift z = 2.5 - 4.5 galaxies in 2.38 deg^2 of ALHAMBRA data with I <= 24. Thanks to the large area covered by ALHAMBRA, we particularly constrain the bright end of the luminosity function. We also calculate the cosmic variance and the corresponding bias values for our sample and derive their host dark matter halo masses. Methods. We use a novel methodology based on redshift and magnitude probability distribution functions (PDFs). This methodology robustly takes into account the uncertainties due to redshift and magnitude errors, shot noise and cosmic variance, and models the luminosity function in two dimensions (z; M_UV ). Results. We find an excess of bright ~ M*_UV galaxies as compared to the studies based on broad-band photometric data. However, our results agree well with the luminosity function of the magnitude-selected spectroscopic VVDS data. We measure high bias values, b ~ 8 - 10, that are compatible with the previous measurements considering the redshifts and magnitudes of our galaxies and further reinforce the real high-redshift nature of our bright galaxies. Conclusions. We call into question the shape of the luminosity function at its bright end; is it a double power-law as suggested by the recent broad-band photometric studies or rather a brighter Schechter function, as suggested by our multi-filter analysis and the spectroscopic VVDS data.