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An accurate new method of calculating absolute magnitudes and K-corrections applied to the Sloan filter set

Beare, Richard; Brown, Michael J. I.; Pimbblet, Kevin

Authors

Richard Beare

Michael J. I. Brown



Abstract

We describe an accurate new method for determining absolute magnitudes, and hence also K-corrections, that is simpler than most previous methods, being based on a quadratic function of just one suitably chosen observed color. The method relies on the extensive and accurate new set of 129 empirical galaxy template spectral energy distributions from Brown et al. A key advantage of our method is that we can reliably estimate random errors in computed absolute magnitudes due to galaxy diversity, photometric error and redshift error. We derive K-corrections for the five Sloan Digital Sky Survey filters and provide parameter tables for use by the astronomical community. Using the New York Value-Added Galaxy Catalog, we compare our K-corrections with those from kcorrect. Our K-corrections produce absolute magnitudes that are generally in good agreement with kcorrect. Absolute griz magnitudes differ by less than 0.02 mag and those in the u band by ~0.04 mag. The evolution of rest-frame colors as a function of redshift is better behaved using our method, with relatively few galaxies being assigned anomalously red colors and a tight red sequence being observed across the whole 0.0 < z < 0.5 redshift range.

Citation

Beare, R., Brown, M. J. I., & Pimbblet, K. (2014). An accurate new method of calculating absolute magnitudes and K-corrections applied to the Sloan filter set. The Astrophysical journal, 797(2), Article ARTN 104. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/797/2/104

Acceptance Date Oct 27, 2014
Online Publication Date Dec 5, 2014
Publication Date Dec 20, 2014
Deposit Date Jun 18, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal The astrophysical journal
Print ISSN 0004-637X
Electronic ISSN 1538-4357
Publisher American Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 797
Issue 2
Article Number ARTN 104
DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/797/2/104
Keywords Cosmology -- observations; Galaxies -- evolution; Galaxies -- photometry
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/375550
Publisher URL http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/797/2/104/article
Additional Information Copy of article first published in: The Astrophysical journal, 2014, v.797, no.2 ©: 2014 The Authors. Published by Institute of Physics on behalf of the American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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Copyright Statement
© 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.






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