The Galaxy Population of Low-Redshift Abell Clusters
  We present a study of the luminosity and color properties of galaxies
selected from a sample of 57 low-redshift Abell clusters. We utilize the
non-parametric dwarf-to-giant ratio (DGR) and the blue galaxy fraction (fb) to
investigate the clustercentric radial-dependent changes in the cluster galaxy
population. Composite cluster samples are combined by scaling the counting
radius by r200 to minimize radius selection bias. The separation of galaxies
into a red and blue population was achieved by selecting galaxies relative to
the cluster color-magnitude relation. The DGR of the red and blue galaxies is
found to be independent of cluster richness (Bgc), although the DGR is larger
for the blue population at all measured radii. A decrease in the DGR for the
red and red+blue galaxies is detected in the cluster core region, while the
blue galaxy DGR is nearly independent of radius. The fb is found not to
correlate with Bgc; however, a steady decline toward the inner-cluster region
is observed for the giant galaxies. The dwarf galaxy fb is approximately
constant with clustercentric radius except for the inner cluster core region
where fb decreases. The clustercentric radial dependence of the DGR and the
galaxy blue fraction, indicates that it is unlikely that a simple scenario
based on either pure disruption or pure fading/reddening can describe the
evolution of infalling dwarf galaxies; both outcomes are produced by the
cluster environment.
