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Description
We use a friends-of-friends algorithm to identify loose groups from the northern CfA2 survey covering the region 8h<={alpha}_(1950)_<=17h and 8.5{deg}<={delta}_(1950)_<=44.5{deg}. There are 406 groups; 149 of these contains five or more members within the survey. Geometric simulations guide our choice of the selection parameters; {delta}{rho}/{rho}=80 is the limiting density contrast and V0=350km/s is the fiducial velocity linking parameter. The geometric simulations are particularly important for evaluating the impact of large-scale structure (e.g., the Great Wall) on group selection. The physical parameters of this large sample are coincident with our earlier results [126 groups in Ramella et al. (1989ApJ...344...57R)]: the median velocity dispersion in 192 (156; 229)km/s and the median blue log(M/L) is 2.38 (2.20; 2.52). The mass-to-light ratio (M/L) is in units of Msun/Lsun for an assumed Hubble constant, H0=100km/s/Mpc. The numbers in parentheses are 99% confidence limits. This group catalog provides a substantially larger sample for statistical studies than has been previously available. For example, it provides a more substantial sample for estimation of the distribution of group velocity dispersions and of the group-group correlation function. (Copyright) 1997 American Astronomical Society.
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