K-band Luminosity Function of Field Galaxies

The LF is reasonably well fitted over the 10-mag range -26 < M(K-band) < -16 by a Schechter function with the parameters {alpha}=-1.16+/-0.19, M*=-23.58+/-0.42 and {phi*}=0.012+/-0.008 Mpc-3, assuming a Hubble constant of 100 km.s-1.Mpc-1.

We have also estimated the LF for two subsets of galaxies subdivided by the equivalent width of the H{alpha} emission line at EW(H{alpha})=1nm. There is no significant difference in LF shape between the two samples, although there is a hint (~1{sigma} significance) that emission-line galaxies (ELGs) have M* roughly 1 mag fainter than non-ELGs. Contrary to the optical LF, there is no difference in the faint end slope {alpha} between the two samples.