The Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey - IV. Redshift Space Distortions via the 2-Point Correlation Function

Abstract

We have investigated the redshift space distortions in the optically selected Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey using the 2-point galaxy correlation function perpendicular and parallel to the observer's line of sight. We present results for the real space 2-point correlation function, by inverting the optimally estimated projected correlation function and find good agreement with other real space estimates. On small, non-linear scales we observe an elongation of the z-space corelation function contours in the line of sight direction. Our result for the 1-D pairwise rms velocity dispersion is sigma = 416 +- 36 kms^-1 which is consistent with those from recent redshift surveys and canonical values, but inconsistent with SCDM or LCDM models. On larger, linear scales we observe a compression of the z-space correlation function contours in the line of sight direction. This is due to the infall of galaxies into overdense regions and the Durham/UKST data favours a value of Omega^0.6/b = 0.5, where Omega is the mean mass density of the Universe and b is the linear bias factor which relates the galaxy and mass distributions. Comparison with other optical estimates yield consistent results, with the conclusion that the data does not favour an unbiased critical-density universe.