A search for large low-surface brightness galaxies in deep CCD data

TLDR: In this article, the authors describe a search for very low-surface-brightness features in deep CCD frames, which would not be detected using more typical connected-pixel algorithms.

Abstract: In this paper, we describe a search for very low-surface-brightness features in deep CCD frames. We show how cross-correlation with templates can be used to detect low-surface-brightness features, which would not be detected using more typical connected-pixel algorithms. The search technique is specifically designed to search for large, low-surface- brightness galaxies like Malin 1. Although we identify 19 potentially interesting, extended, low-surface-brightness objects, we conclude that Malin 1 type objects per se are less prolific than `normal' L^*^ galaxies, and that galaxies with -22 < M_v_ < 19 and μ_0_ ~26 Vmu are at least an order of magnitude less common than their normal-surface- brightness counterparts.