Bulk flow in the combined 2MTF and 6dFGSv surveys
  We create a combined sample of 10,904 late and early-type galaxies from the
2MTF and 6dFGSv surveys in order to accurately measure bulk flow in the local
Universe. Galaxies and groups of galaxies common between the two surveys are
used to verify that the difference in zero-points is $<0.02$ dex. We introduce
a maximum likelihood estimator ($\eta$MLE) for bulk flow measurements which
allows for more accurate measurement in the presence non-Gaussian measurement
errors. To calibrate out residual biases due to the subtle interaction of
selection effects, Malmquist bias and anisotropic sky distribution, the
estimator is tested on mock catalogues generated from 16 independent
large-scale GiggleZ and SURFS simulations. The bulk flow of the local Universe
using the combined data set, corresponding to a scale size of 40 h$^{-1}$ Mpc,
is $288\pm24$ km s$^{-1}$ in the direction $(l,b)=(296\pm6^{\circ},
21\pm5^{\circ})$. This is the most accurate bulk flow measurement to date, and
the amplitude of the flow is consistent with the $\Lambda$CDM expectation for
similar size scales.
