Tb. Georgiev et al., CALIBRATION OF THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF BRIGHT BLUE STARS AS A DISTANCE INDICATOR FOR LATE-TYPE GALAXIES, Astronomy letters, 23(5), 1997, pp. 656-665
Published data for 38 galaxies are used to construct the differential
luminosity functions of the brightest blue stars with (B-V)(0) < 0.4.
The magnitude V(5)(0), for which the value of the luminosity function
is equal to five stars in a 0(m).5 interval, is calibrated as a distan
ce indicator. The calibration of the relation between the distance mod
ulus (m-M)(0) and the total magnitude of the galaxy B(g)(0) and V(5)(0
) is constructed for 15 nearby galaxies: (m-M)(0) = 1.08 - 0.87B(g)(0)
+ 1.85V(5)(0), sigma = 0(m).39. This calibration is applied to 27 oth
er galaxies. For 18 dwarf galaxies, the distance moduli obtained by th
e brightest-star and luminosity-function methods are in agreement with
0(m).35 accuracy. Dwarf galaxies with an excess (the LMC, NGC 2366, S
extans A, GR 8, DDO 187) and a deficit (Sextans B, Pegasus) of blue st
ars have been identified. In contrast to the brightest-star method, th
e luminosity-function method is less sensitive to the presence of nons
tellar and chance blue objects.