Luminous early-type field galaxies at $z\sim 0.4$ - I. Observations and redshift catalogue of 581 galaxies

Abstract

We have compiled a sample of $\sim 9600$ bright, $i\le 18.95$, red, $b_j-r>2$, candidate galaxies in an area of 220 deg${}^2$. These are luminous, $L>L^{\ast }$, field early-type galaxies with redshifts $0.3 \la z \la 0.6$. We present a redshift catalogue of a sub-sample of 581 targets. The galaxies were selected according to their broadband $b_{j}ri$ colours from United Kingdom Schmidt Telescope plates, and have a surface density on the sky of only $\sim 50$deg${}^{-2}$. Such luminous field galaxies are virtually absent from published redshift surveys and the catalogue provides a large sample of the most luminous normal galaxies, at cosmological distances. The statistical properties of the galaxy spectra, including absorption line and emission line measures, are presented and a composite spectrum constructed. The nature of the sample, combined with the relatively bright apparent magnitudes make the galaxies suitable targets for several key investigations in galaxy evolution and cosmology.

16 pages, 20 figures, landscape table attached, accepted for publication by MNRAS. Contains mn.sty

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