Cannibalism among the galaxies - Dynamically produced evolution of cluster luminosity functions

Abstract

It is shown how the merging of galaxies in clusters will tend to produce supergiant systems of low surface brightness similar to the known cD systems and also the apparently nonstatistical features seen at the bright end of the cluster luminosity function. Tests of the theory are proposed, and methods of deriving a luminosity correction (for dynamical evolution) are suggested.